In the presence of members of the General Command of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Commander-in-Chief Mazlum Abdi met the new commander of the US Pentagon Central Command (CENTCOM), Michael Kurilla, in Hesekê. According to a statement from the SDF Media and Communications Center, the meeting took place on Wednesday evening. Security issues were discussed.

CENTCOM is the US military's regional command for the Middle East, East Africa and Central Asia. The focus of the meeting between Abdi and Kurilla, who succeeded Kenneth McKenzie two weeks ago, was the threat posed by the terrorist organization Islamic State to the autonomous regions of Northern and Eastern Syria.

With ISIS sleeper cell activities on the rise and attacks in the region becoming more frequent, Kurilla pledged increased support for securing the prisons and detention centers where ISIS mercenaries and their families are being held, as well as for counter-terrorism operations.

General Kurilla also emphasized the importance of maintaining security and stability in Northern and Eastern Syria in order to prevent the resurgence of the mercenary group, eliminate the cells and dry out their environment.

Other topics of the meeting related to the conditions in Hol camp and detention center, where more than 50,000 displaced persons and ISIS members are held, and the situation in Sina prison.

With the support of the Turkish state, ISIS tried to storm the detention center in Hesekê in January. The aim of the attack was to free thousands of Islamists and occupy the city. The plan could only be defeated by the Autonomous Administration’s security forces and the population at great cost.