The Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces ( SDF ) apparently resorted to a "false flag" tactic involving ISIS prisoners to disrupt stability and security in the Damascus region and put pressure on the new Syrian interim government, according to information from the office of the US aid organization Blumont in al-Hol, Syria.
On June 23, a suspected supporter of the so-called Islamic State (IS) terrorist militia carried out a suicide attack in a church in the Syrian capital, Damascus. According to the Syrian Ministry of Health, 25 people attending a mass were killed. Another 63 people were injured in the explosion at the Mar Elias Church.
It was the first attack of this kind in Syria in years . Initially, no group claimed responsibility for the attack. Later, the Interior Ministry stated that the perpetrator belonged to the terrorist militia of the so-called Islamic State (IS), which formerly controlled parts of Syria and Iraq. The attacker visited the church with two other people, then entered alone, shot at the worshippers, and finally detonated his explosive device, the Interior Ministry said.
Perpetrator comes from IS cell and al-Hol camp
The following day, a social media post claimed responsibility for the attack from a little-known Syrian Sunni extremist group—Saraya Ansar al-Sunna, which translates as "Squadrons of the Followers of the Sunna." The group denied any formal affiliation with ISIS, refuted the Syrian interim government's claim that ISIS was responsible, and threatened further attacks. Shortly thereafter, the group itself released a statement on its social media channel, denying any connection to the terrorist attack .
Three days after the horrific act, the Syrian Interior Ministry announced that it had arrested one of the fugitives in the Damascus area. He was an Iraqi citizen who is also believed to be a member of an IS cell. The arrested man's name also appeared in a database of the international aid organization. According to the report, the man had been working as a fuel supplier in the al-Hol camp since November 2024, but the perpetrator was from the detention center itself.
The al-Hol camp is located in the Syrian governorate of al-Hasakah in northeastern Syria, approximately 650 km from Damascus. The camp is an internment camp on the southern outskirts of al-Hol, which has primarily housed the families of jihadist fighters of the Islamic State since 2019. The area is controlled by the Syrian Kurdish SDF under the umbrella of the Task Force of an international coalition against the Islamic State, particularly the United States .
Although the SDF – one of Syria's most powerful armed formations and a long-standing enemy of all Syrian opposition militias – signed an agreement with interim President al-Sharaa in March pledging to integrate themselves under Damascus' control, tensions between the two sides remain.
Although the SDF never succeeded in fully securing al-Hol camp, determining the exact list of detainees, or preventing ISIS commanders from secretly entering and leaving the camp or engaging in smuggling, they nevertheless issued a counter-statement rejecting the Interior Ministry's claims.
According to the Interior Ministry, however, they expressed surprise that the suicide bomber, accompanied by two people, was able to cross the route between al-Hol and Damascus unchallenged. The Interior Ministry spokesperson also noted that the unnoticed departure of the people from the al-Hol camp was highly suspicious.
Arrests and threats against aid organizations
Last Friday, news leaked that the Syrian Kurdish SDF had raided the Blumont office in al-Hol, arrested 34 employees and a media representative, and declared the aid organization's work terminated. Blumont's Middle East headquarters in Jordan was also pressured to deny the authenticity of the data leak proving a connection between the suicide bomber and the al-Hol camp.
YPG raided the office of the Blumont NGO working in al-Hol Camp after data on the camp's residents was leaked. The name of a person involved in the Mar Elias Church attack was on the list. The YPG suspended Blumont's activities, arrested 34 of its staff members, and pressured its… https://t.co/MqBd5k7xAe
— Cagatay Cebe (@Mucagcebe) June 28, 2025
The Syrian Kurdish SDF is considered the Syrian branch of the PKK terrorist organization in Syria. According to experts, the SDF is increasingly facing existential threats, primarily due to US President Donald Trump 's threat to withdraw the US contingent from Syria. In addition, pressure from the Syrian interim government to integrate into the Syrian army and disband is increasing.
According to Swedish analyst Michael Arizante, the SDF appears to be becoming increasingly desperate, making it extremely dangerous. Arizante therefore calls on the US to force the SDF to integrate into Syria's national structure or begin disarming itself by force.
The PKK in Syria are growing desperate- and that desperation makes them exceptionally dangerous! @CENTCOM needs to stop coddling these militias and force the SDF to either integrate into Syria’s national structures today or start disarming them tomorrow!
If the U.S. won’t act,… https://t.co/4ls5gxq1UO
— 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐞𝐥 𝐀𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢 (@MArizanti) June 28, 2025