Kurdish Forces Arrest Suspected ISIS Leader in Eastern Syria

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), backed by the U.S.-led coalition, arrested a high-ranking ISIS leader in eastern Syria on Friday, Rudaw reported. The suspect, identified as Hamoud Abdullah al-Khatib (aka Abu Zakaria), was captured in Deir ez-Zor province during a targeted operation.

Al-Khatib allegedly served as ISIS’s economic “emir,” extorting money from civilians under the guise of Islamic tax (zakat) and threatening dissenters with death. The SDF seized a weapons cache during the raid.

ISIS, though territorially defeated in 2019, remains active in Syria’s deserts, exploiting security gaps to regroup. The SDF has detained over 10,000 ISIS fighters in Syria, including 2,000 deemed “highly dangerous,” according to SDF commander Mazloum Abdi.

The arrest underscores ongoing counterterrorism efforts as ISIS continues hit-and-run attacks. The SDF and U.S. troops remain key to preventing the group’s resurgence.