The Kurdish-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced on Saturday that they have captured and killed over 240 members of the Islamic State (ISIS) in northeast Syria (Rojava) since January, amid a surge in jihadist attacks in both SDF and regime-held areas.

According to a statement from the SDF, "During the first half of 2024, our SDF forces have conducted 28 successful anti-ISIS operations supported by the international coalition in different areas of the NE Syria Region." The statement further detailed that 233 terrorists, suspects, and collaborators were captured, and 10 terrorists were eliminated during these operations.

ISIS, which gained notoriety in 2014 after seizing vast territories in Iraq and Syria and declaring a so-called "caliphate," no longer controls any land but continues to pose a significant security threat. The group has been involved in kidnappings, hit-and-run attacks, and bombings, prompting the SDF to conduct frequent operations to curb their activities.

The Kurdish-led and US-backed SDF, which controls Rojava, played a crucial role in the battle against ISIS, arresting thousands of the group's fighters and their families when they reclaimed the last ISIS stronghold in Syria in 2019.

Despite these efforts, the SDF issued a warning in late March that ISIS remains a threat to both the region and the world, emphasizing that the group's defeat requires dismantling its ideological foundations. "ISIS is still trying to recruit new terrorist elements, attempting to radicalize them into its ranks," stated the SDF, urging the international community to "collaborate effectively" with its forces to counter this ongoing threat.