Aight, listen up. Word on the street in Syria is ISIS ain't gone nowhere. Yeah, they got pushed back a few years ago, but you can't just erase that kinda hate, ya dig? Now they back, tryna take advantage of how folks feel about this new government.

Down in Baghuz, where ISIS had they last stand, it's still f*ed up. Land barren, bodies buried. But this one activist, keepin' it anonymous cuz snitches get stitches, said ISIS boys still around. They miss the caliphate days, and ready to jump back in if the chance come.

Deir ez-Zor? Same story. People seein' ISIS sympathizers everywhere. This cat Deeban Harwil say you can spot 'em by they clothes and habits. Translation: they ain't rockin' the latest trends from Paris, ya feel me?

This week, ISIS spokesperson Abu Hudhayfah al-Ansari dropped a whole speech, like 30 minutes long. First time they done that in two years. He callin' out President Ahmed al-Sharaa, sayin' he a sellout to the West. Claimin' fightin' the government is a must for all the real ones.

Soon as he said that, all hell broke loose. Nine attacks on government checkpoints. Four security dudes got smoked in Raqqa. Gunfire poppin' off in Baghuz. This the most action Syria seen since that dude Assad got ousted. Sh*t is real.

Some analyst, Bashar Hassan, say ISIS tryna rebrand. They know they image messed up from all the crazy sh*t they did back in the day. Beheadings, sex slaves, burnin' people alive. Now they tryna act like they changed?

When they ran things, ISIS was ruthless. They was wildin' out. Everybody scared. Now they wanna act like they turned over a new leaf? Don't believe the hype.

ISIS tryna play the game smart. They know the government ain't doin' right by the people. So they comin' in, talkin' that talk, tryna get folks on they side. But at the end of the day, they just another group tryna run things for they own benefit. Don't get played.

These attacks show the volatility in the region, and the ongoing after effects of Assad's fall.

ISIS is attempting to capitalize on the discontent stemming from what they perceive as al-Sharaa's turn to Western ideologies, aiming to portray themselves as defenders of traditional values and Islamic principles.

Sources:

* Brookings Institution: Middle East Policy * RAND Corporation: Research on Terrorism * Council on Foreign Relations: Terrorism and Counterterrorism

Islamic State activity is resurging in northeastern Syria as the group attempts to rebrand and exploit discontent with the current government.