A number of rigged motorcycles and car bombs, for which the Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility, have recently shaken up Hasakah province in northeastern Syria, killing a number of civilians and military personnel and injuring others, and causing significant material damage. The attacks have pushed the authorities in the area, which is controlled by the Kurdish-led autonomous administration, to launch a crackdown against IS cells that remain active despite the group’s defeat.
The military council in Hasakah province announced Aug. 1 the arrest of gunmen, including one Iraqi, affiliated with IS in the predominantly Arab neighborhood of Ghuwairan in Hasakah city.