A recent spike in attacks by ISIS militants in northeastern Syria is raising significant security concerns, despite ongoing counter-terrorism efforts by the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a monitoring group reported Sunday.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) documented a sharp increase in ISIS operations, particularly in the eastern and western countryside of Deir ez-Zor. According to the UK-based watchdog, the group carried out nine attacks in the past week alone—eight in Deir ez-Zor and one in the Hasakah province.

"Recent ISIS attacks indicate an escalation in the group’s operational activities," SOHR stated, warning that these assaults "pose a significant threat to the security of local communities."

The latest data brings the total number of ISIS attacks recorded since the start of the year to 224. These incidents have resulted in 98 fatalities, including 69 SDF fighters, 16 civilians, and 13 ISIS members.

This resurgence underscores the persistent threat posed by the extremist group, which lost its last territorial foothold in Syria in 2019. Since the fall of its self-declared "caliphate," ISIS has transitioned to a decentralized insurgency, relying on guerrilla tactics such as hit-and-run assaults, ambushes, and roadside bombs.

The SDF, supported by the international coalition, continues to lead security operations to dismantle ISIS sleeper cells in the region. However, the group has exploited ongoing political instability and the rugged terrain of eastern Syria's desert areas to regroup and intensify its campaign, frequently targeting military checkpoints, convoys, and vulnerable villages.