Reuters: ISIS seeks to regain foothold in Syria and Iraq following Assad’s fall

The Islamic State (ISIS) is stepping up efforts to reassert its presence in Syria and Iraq in the wake of Bashar al-Assad’s ousting, taking advantage of the political upheaval to revive operations in regions it once terrorised, according to a detailed report by Reuters.

The outlet cites more than 20 sources, including security officials from Syria, Iraq, the United States, and several European countries.

According to these sources, ISIS is reactivating dormant cells, redistributing weapons and propaganda materials, and actively recruiting new members with the aim of launching fresh attacks. Iraqi military officials said that in December alone, several major terror plots were foiled, including an attempted bombing in the city of Daquq. Both Iraqi and Syrian authorities attribute these counter-terrorism successes to joint intelligence-sharing operations and precise strikes on militant hideouts.

Since Assad's regime collapsed, Syria’s interim government, led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, has been facing growing destabilisation attempts by ISIS. In January, Syria’s Defence Minister Murhaf Abu Kasra stated that national security agencies were intensifying efforts to prevent a resurgence of terrorist activity across the country.

A US Department of Defence spokesperson emphasised that although ISIS remnants have been significantly weakened and are no longer able to hold territory, the group still poses a real and persistent threat. “They’re diminished, but not defeated,” the official warned.

The al-Sharaa-led interim administration continues to struggle with limited resources and is not yet capable of fully controlling Syrian territory. The United States, while not formally recognising the new government, is engaging in limited intelligence exchanges with Damascus and has continued to carry out airstrikes on ISIS-linked targets.

In Iraq, where ISIS first emerged, the frequency of attacks has decreased compared to its peak operational period. However, intelligence gathered by the SITE Intelligence Group confirms that ISIS militants remain active in regions such as the Hamrin Mountains. Iraqi military adviser Ali al-Saidi noted that the group may have captured abandoned weapons following the fall of Assad’s military and is now attempting to transfer them across the border into Iraq.

Western intelligence officials have also expressed concern over the potential return of foreign jihadist fighters to the region. According to United Nations estimates, between 1,500 and 3,000 ISIS militants remain active in Syria and Iraq. Meanwhile, US intelligence agencies report that the group’s most dynamic and dangerous offshoot now operates in Africa under the leadership of Abdulqadir Mumin.

Syria’s Minister of Interior, Anas Khattab, underscored that combating ISIS remains the top national security priority. “Of all the problems we face, ISIS ranks first,” Khattab said, stressing the group’s continuing capacity to disrupt regional stability.

The renewed activity by ISIS, coupled with the fragile state of both Syrian and Iraqi governance structures, has raised alarms among regional and international security agencies, fueling concern that a new wave of jihadist violence could be looming.