The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have arrested two more members of the Islamic State. One of the two is a so called 'Caliphate Cub).

The SDF said in a statement: "Our fight against terrorism continues with a firm resolve, particularly against the Daesh terrorist organization that has resorted to various methods in an attempt to reorganize its ranks and control the region.

Daesh [ISIS] terrorists aim at intimidating civilians and spreading fear and terrorism in the region through suicide attacks, assassinations, and using civilians as human shields. Our forces have thwarted all the resurgence attempts of the terrorist organization."

The statement detailed the operation as follows: "On February 15, our forces conducted a sweep operation in the town of Diban eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor, and arrested two Daesh terrorists who were planning to target the Autonomous Administration areas east of Deir Ezzor.

The first terrorist called Tarek Rashid al-Hamou aka Osama Kardash is from Iraq, and he was involved in numerous Daesh attacks, so his hands bore the blood of many innocent people.

The terrorist al-Hamou confessed that he entered the area through the Syrian Badia (desert), and he was mandated to be positioned in important areas to break the security cordon imposed by the SDF on the al-Sina’a prison in al-Hasaka during the Daesh attack."

The statement added: "14-year-old Fahad Abdul Rahman al-Turkestani who is from Turkistan was brought by Daesh terrorists from Palmyra desert to Deir Ezzor to participate in suicide attacks in the areas of eastern Deir Ezzor.

The boy’s family lives in Turkey, and he entered Syria to join Daesh terrorist organization along with his father, who was killed in Aleppo city.

He was arrested with his family in 2019 when our forces defeated Daesh in al-Baguz, and they were moved to al-Hol camp.

Due to his young age, the terrorist organization positioned him among the so-called “Caliphate Cubs” affiliated with Daesh, and he was mandated to train the young children. He has received intellectual, ideological, and military training. According to his confession, he was released from the al-Hol camp by the Bahar organization, which suspended its work in the camp. The terrorist group Daesh sent him to Deir Ezzor to use him in suicide bombings.

The two terrorists were arrested during the sweep operations, and their confessions indicate that they were aiming to kill civilians and create chaos in the area, but our operations spared the area significant risks and threats."