Islamic State resurges in eastern Syria with deadly attacks
Islamic State militants killed two Kurdish soldiers in an ambush near Hajin in eastern Syria, marking a troubling return of extremist violence to the region six years after the group lost its territorial control. Attacks by the organization have surged from 73 incidents across all of 2024 to 117 through August 2025 in northeast Syria, according to Syrian Democratic Forces data. The Wall Street Journal documented the escalation as American troops withdrew from the area.
The extremist network exploited chaos following Bashar al-Assad’s government by seizing weapons from abandoned military depots and reorganizing as small mobile units. About 3,000 fighters operate mainly from Deir Ezzour province, assassinating local officials and extorting residents through intimidation campaigns. SDF Commander Goran Tel Tamir said reduced American military presence emboldens militants who increasingly target security patrols with roadside bombs and surprise attacks.
Pentagon officials cut troop levels from 2,000 to approximately 1,500 since April and plan further reductions below 1,000 personnel in the coming months. May proved the deadliest month for SDF forces since 2019, with 10 soldiers killed and 15 wounded across 20 separate militant operations. Kurdish commanders report the group operates through sleeper cells of four to five members who receive remote instructions for ambushes while blending into sympathetic Sunni communities.
