TURKEY’S invasion of northern Syria has led to a rise in attacks by Isis sleeper cells, a new report revealed yesterday, with scores of civilians killed as jihadists once more gain a stronghold.

Research by the Rojava Information Centre (RIC) showed a 48 per cent increase in the death cult’s attacks in the region since the Turkish military campaign began last month.

It coincides with anti-Isis operations by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) decreasing by 75 per cent as the Kurdish-led fighters were forced to switch focus to defend largely Kurdish areas from the Turkish invaders and their jihadist allies.

One of the latest casualties of the invasion has been the Jinwar women’s village, with residents forced to flee the Turkish bombings and jihadist groups sweeping northern Syria once more.

The autonomous village was built three miles from the Turkish border as a peaceful sanctuary for Kurds, Arabs and Yazidis. Many of their partners had been killed by Isis during the war before the death cult was effectively extinguished by Kurdish-led forces.

“Our village was a peaceful place for women in Syria who have fled war and other hardships. Now, all of this is under direct threat from Turkey,” Fatima Sebah Neisan explained.

According to RIC data, Isis claimed 51 deaths in attacks from its former stronghold Raqqa and Deir-ez-Zor to the huge al-Hol camp and Qamishli.

In the week leading up to the October 9 start of the invasion, there was just one Isis sleeper-cell attack a day on average. Since then, the number has risen to 38 attacks in 21 days.

Since the death of its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi earlier this month, the group’s supporters have been discussing plans for a “month of rage” in revenge for his killing.

Turkish-backed sleeper-cell group Haraket-al-Qiyam, notorious for its brutal execution videos, also announced its re-emergence to coincide with the Turkish invasion.

RIC spokeswoman Robin Fleming said: “These statistics illustrate the immediate benefits which Isis have drawn from Turkey’s invasion of north and east Syria.

“Turkey’s invasion undoes years of work by the SDF, first in defeating Isis on the battlefield and then in sweeping anti-Isis raids which have brought hundreds of sleeper-cell members to justice.

“If the international community wants to stop this Isis resurgence, there is only one solution: to stop to the Turkish invasion of north and east Syria.”