Islamic State killed dozens in brutal Ramadan campaign in Syria: report

The Islamic State has killed 52 people and injured a further 32 in north and east Syria in April 2022, according to a report by the Rojava Information Center. 

The report revealed that there were 54 attacks across the region, 32 of which were claimed by the militants. This is a 184 percent increase in comparison to the number of attacks in March. 

[NEW REPORT]

Our April Sleeper Cell Report shows one of the bloodiest months for NES since RIC began recording sleeper cell attacks, as ISIS' mounted its 'Revenge for the Two Sheikhs' campaign.

The highlights:

📌 52 people killed & 32 injured over the past month

— Rojava Information Center (@RojavaIC) May 9, 2022

The Islamic State generally favours carrying out attacks in the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, according to the report, which this year began in early April. However, the scale and brutality of this year’s attacks were unexpected, according to the report, as hundreds of IS fighters had been killed in January and another 200 suspects linked with the group were arrested last month.

This year’s attacks began after the group’s new spokesperson, Abu Omar al-Muhajir, urged his followers to ramp up their attacks to avenge the death of its leader Abu Ibrahim al-Qurayshi who died in February during a US operation in Syria. 

This was an “opportunity” for the group to attack its targets while “the crusaders are fighting each other”, he said, in reference to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. He added that the Islamic State aimed to free more than 56,000 individuals linked to the militant group from al-Hol camp in Syria. 

The attacks came as raids against the militant group dropped significantly in April. The Rojava Information Center only recorded 9 raids in April, down from 21 in the previous month. Twenty one people were arrested in these raids, of whom five were later released.