SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi Warns of Escalating ISIS Threat in Region

Mazloum Abdi, Commander-in-Chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Mazloum Abdi, Commander-in-Chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), has raised alarms about the increasing threat posed by ISIS in detention centers and camps.

Speaking to The Sun newspaper, Abdi emphasized the urgent need to intensify efforts against the extremist group, warning that failure to do so could lead to its resurgence.

The SDF currently holds approximately 10,000 ISIS fighters in prisons, including 2,000 identified by U.S. intelligence as being on the “high danger” list. These individuals, Abdi warned, are prepared to return to destruction and violence in the Middle East.

The situation in camps such as al-Hawl and Roj is equally concerning, with a total of around 60,000 individuals—fighters and their families—being held. According to Abdi, ISIS has been actively working to kidnap and extract its members from these facilities in West Kurdistan, posing a continuous threat to stability in the region and beyond.

Abdi also highlighted the danger ISIS poses to Western countries and called for international support in prosecuting its members for atrocities committed across the Middle East. Without decisive action, he warned, the threat of ISIS could escalate further.