[ARA News] DARAA – Syrian rebel fighters in the southern front of Daraa province captured Tuesday a group of ISIS militants dressed as women while trying to infiltrate into a rebel-held town, activists and eyewitnesses reported. Dozens of displaced civilians who have escaped war-torn areas in Syria’s southern Daraa province were allowed into the rebel-held town of Tassil to take shelter. However, a number of militant fighters from the Islamic State (ISIS) were reportedly trying to make use of the displacement movement to infiltrate into the rebel stronghold, while dressed up as women.
At least 16 ISIS jihadis were caught cross-dressing and trying to enter Tassil town on Tuesday.
“Suspicions were raised when a number of women were wearing men’s shoes. Two of them were identified as ISIS members and detained immediately by the rebel fighters, then clashes broke out and led to the death of at least ten ISIS militants and the arrest of four others. They were all dressed up as women,” media activist Muhammad Ubaida told ARA News in Daraa.
This is not the first time for ISIS militants to cross-dress in a bid to infiltrate into areas held by rival groups.
Similar cases have been reported in towns held by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northern Syria, such as Tel Abyad where at least 20 ISIS fighters –who were dressed up as women–tried in April to enter the town and carry out attacks on SDF positions there.