Syria Captures Senior ISIS Official Near Manbij: What to Know
Syrian security forces have captured a senior Islamic State (ISIS) commander in a raid near Manbij in Aleppo province, marking one of the most significant ISIS arrests by Damascus since US troops withdrew from Syria in April.
The Syrian Interior Ministry identified the detainee as Hamza Abdullah Mohammed, also known as Abu Jihad al-Muhajir. Syrian authorities described him as the military leader of ISIS's al-Sham province, which covers Syria, and said he previously served as the group's top commander in Idlib.
How was he captured?
The operation was carried out by Syria's General Intelligence Service and Internal Security Forces with assistance from what officials described as international partners.
A US official confirmed to Al-Monitor that the Syrian government's characterization of al-Muhajir as an ISIS member was accurate, although his identity could not immediately be independently verified.
The arrest follows a US airstrike in June near Deir Hassan that killed another alleged senior ISIS figure, Ali Husayn al-'Ulaywi.
Why does the arrest matter?
The capture demonstrates that Syria's new government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa continues to cooperate with US intelligence and military authorities against ISIS, even after American troops ended their ground presence in Syria.
US forces withdrew from their remaining Syrian base in April, ending a decade-long deployment supporting local forces against ISIS. During its peak, the group controlled territory populated by millions of people.
The United States also transferred thousands of high-risk ISIS prisoners from Syria to Iraq earlier this year as part of its withdrawal plans.
What happens next?
Although the US military presence in Syria has been reduced, intelligence cooperation with Syrian and Iraqi Kurdish authorities reportedly continues.
The shift comes as Washington is increasingly focused on tensions with Iran and is reorganising military forces across the region. For Syria, maintaining pressure on ISIS remains important even as its security relationship with the United States changes.
The capture of al-Muhajir therefore highlights a new phase of the fight against ISIS—one in which Syrian security forces are taking a larger role while US support increasingly comes through intelligence and limited operations rather than a large ground deployment.
