Syrian security forces conduct significant raid against ISIS hideouts in Aleppo, killing three terrorists and detaining four, marking the first publicly announced operation of its kind by the Islamist-led government in the city.
Syrian security forces carried out a significant operation against Islamic State (ISIS) hideouts in Aleppo on Saturday, marking the first publicly announced raid of its kind in the city by the Islamist-led government, Reuters reported.
The Syrian Interior Ministry confirmed the death of three ISIS terrorists and one member of the security forces during the raids.
Authorities reported the detention of four ISIS terrorists and the seizure of weapons, bombs, and uniforms bearing security forces’ insignia. A security source revealed the operations targeted sleeper cells in four locations, leading to the arrest of 10 individuals.
The source also indicated that one of the ISIS militants detonated an explosive device during the security operation.
ISIS overran large swathes of Syria and Iraq in 2014, proclaiming a “caliphate” in land it controlled.
Several military offensives, including ones backed by a US-led international coalition, have since seen ISIS lose most areas it once controlled, including the loss of their de facto capital in Raqqa, Syria.
However, ISIS sleeper cells remain in the area and continue to carry out deadly attacks in Syria and Iraq.
The current Syrian interim President, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has a documented history as an adversary of ISIS. Al-Sharaa, who formerly led a branch of Al-Qaeda before cutting ties in 2016 and forming Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), battled the ISIS self-declared caliphate during the Syrian war.
He assumed power in Damascus in December following the ousting of former President Bashar Al-Assad.
The operation in Aleppo underscores ongoing efforts by Syrian authorities to counter the lingering threat of ISIS. In January, Syrian authorities announced they had thwarted an ISIS attack on the Sayeda Zeinab shrine in a Damascus suburb, a significant pilgrimage site for Shiites, and arrested members of that cell.
Last month, ISIS terrorists were responsible for the deaths of five members of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in eastern Syria in what was described as one of their deadliest recent attacks.
