Syria announces dismantling of ISIS cell responsible for assassinations
Internal Security Forces arrest two individuals on suspicion of assassinating a Defense Ministry official
Translated by Qiyas from كويت نيوز — Original source
Syria’s Internal Security Forces announced on Sunday the arrest of two individuals in the eastern part of the country who belong to the Islamic State (IS) group, stating that they were accused of carrying out assassinations, the latest of which targeted a member of the Ministry of Defense.
In a statement, the Internal Security Forces said that the General Intelligence Directorate, in cooperation with them, arrested “a cell affiliated with the terrorist Islamic State group, consisting of two individuals, following precise intelligence monitoring” in Deir ez-Zor.
It clarified that investigations revealed the detainees’ involvement “in carrying out a series of assassinations in the governorate, the latest of which was the shooting of Ministry of Defense official Ibrahim Al-Jassim near Al-Rashid Mosque in the city of Mayadin.”
The forces said they seized weapons and ammunition found in the possession of the two men.
Since coming to power, Syrian authorities, who ousted Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, have repeatedly announced the arrest of IS leaders or operatives.
Last year, Syria joined a US-led coalition against the Islamic State group.
On October 6, the Ministry of Interior announced the arrest of an IS leader accused of being responsible for the bombing of a mosque in a predominantly Alawite neighborhood in Homs in December of the previous year.
In September, Syria announced the dismantling of an IS cell that had been planning attacks.
After seizing large swathes of territory in Syria and Iraq in 2014, IS suffered a military defeat in Syria in 2019, but affiliated cells remain active, particularly in the desert regions.
The group continues to occasionally claim attacks specifically targeting Syrian security forces.
According to a report submitted by the UN Secretary-General to the Security Council in July 2026, IS retained “up to 3,000 fighters” in 2026.
The report stated that the group prioritized “hit-and-run operations against religious, political, and military sites” in Syria, noting the thwarting of several “conspiracies” targeting President Ahmad Al-Sharaa and other officials, including a “conspiracy” aimed at the president in early 2026.
