Backed by air support from the US-led international coalition against the Islamic State (IS), the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) raided the village of Abriha in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor on Dec. 19 and dismantled an IS network. The operation resulted in the arrest of Ali al-Jadoua, a prominent IS leader, along with his two assistants Khalaf al-Qura and Muhammad al-Qura.
An SDF officer told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, “Jadoua held several positions in IS. He was the mastermind behind the assassination of some Arab tribal sheikhs and leaders in the region. He also orchestrated the killing of a number of SDF forces and was behind the extortion of civilians and merchants. He coordinated with other IS leaders who are yet to be found and arrested.”
He added, “During the period of IS’ control of Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor, Jadoua carried out field executions against the prisoners of the Syrian regime forces and beheaded [regime supporters], including women. He extorted civilians through his cells and threatened them with kidnapping and killing if they failed to pay taxes to the organization. He threatened merchants who did not abide by his rules either with beheading, bombing their houses or booby-trapping their cars.”
Samir al-Tayel, who hails from Deir ez-Zor, told Al-Monitor that the assassinations carried out by IS cells in Deir ez-Zor have dramatically escalated recently.
AL-MONITOR All-Access gives you unlimited access to all our journalism, the full Daily Briefing, exclusive interviews, premium newsletters, and live events — for less than $2/week.
