Equivalent to a quarter of 2021 death toll in its ranks | ISIS loses large number of fighters in a small area in six days

In the evening of Thursday, January 20, ISIS unleashed its most violent attack ever in Syrian territory since it was eliminated as a controlling power in March 2019. The attack targeted “Ghuwayran / Al-Sina’a prison” in Al-Hasakah city, which hosted over 3,500 ISIS prisoners. This attack left heavy losses in the ranks of ISIS, as Syrian Observatory activists documented the death of 124 ISIS fighters in less than six days in clashes, aerial and ground operations and explosions by ISIS suicide bombers.

According to SOHR statistics, this death toll is over six times higher than the death toll of ISIS members documented by SOHR in SDF-held areas in 2021. It is worth noting that SOHR had documented the death of 19 ISIS members and cells in SDF-controlled area sin 2021.

SOHR activists have also confirmed that the number of fatalities among ISIS in the latest six days in this very small area is equivalent to a quarter of death toll in its ranks documented in all Syrian areas in 2021. Last year, ISIS lost 503 fighters as follows:

• 484 fighters were killed in the Syrian desert: 83 fighters were killed in attacks and clashes with regime forces and 401 were killed in Russian airstrikes.

• 19 ISIS fighters and cells’ members were killed in security campaigns by the International Coalition and Syria Democratic Forces.

SOHR has been all along warning against ISIS resurgence and stressing that the defeat of ISIS in Syrian territory, as declared in 2019, was “symbolic”, as ISIS has been only eliminated as a controlling power in populated areas.

The daily attacks by ISIS fighters in the Syrian desert and other attacks by sleeping and active cells in SDF-held areas carried out also in a daily basis since the announcement of the elimination of the so-called Caliphate of the “Islamic State” in March 2019, clearly indicate that the “Islamic State” is still alive and kicking.