Syrian Authorities Arrest 7 in Alleged ISIS Cell Targeting Aleppo
Rizik Alabi / The Media Line
[DAMASCUS] Syria’s Interior Ministry announced the arrest of seven people it said were affiliated with the Islamic State (ISIS) during a joint security operation targeting two cells in Aleppo city and the towns of Azaz and Al-Bab in the province’s countryside.
The ministry said on its official social media accounts that the Internal Security Forces carried out the operation in coordination with the General Intelligence Service, following surveillance that identified the cells’ locations and tracked their members’ movements.
According to the ministry, the two cells were planning attacks against government facilities in Aleppo city and its countryside. Authorities did not disclose which facilities were targeted or when the alleged attacks were expected to take place. They also did not release the names of those detained or details of their alleged roles within the organization.
A source in the Interior Ministry told The Media Line that forces taking part in the operation seized explosives, improvised explosive devices, and several weapons from warehouses belonging to the cells during raids on locations that authorities said ISIS had been using in Aleppo city and Al-Bab.The source, who requested anonymity for security reasons, said the seized materials also included explosive vests, ammunition, and other items linked to the activities of the detained cells.
Photographs released by the authorities showed the seven detainees, along with weapons, explosive devices, and other materials that the ministry said were confiscated during the operation.
The ministry did not say whether the raids were conducted simultaneously at the targeted locations or whether they resulted in clashes or casualties. Authorities have also not announced whether the detainees have been referred to judicial authorities or formally charged.
This operation was part of the Interior Ministry’s continuing efforts to pursue sleeper cells and individuals linked to armed organizations and to prevent attacks against government institutions or civilians, the source said.
Azaz and Al-Bab are located in the northern Aleppo countryside, while Aleppo city is one of Syria’s largest population and economic centers. The operation covered several locations across the city and surrounding areas, reflecting the geographical scope of the activities being monitored by the authorities.
The Internal Security Forces and General Intelligence Service have previously announced joint operations against cells accused of links to ISIS. Authorities said those operations helped disrupt plots the organization had been preparing to carry out.
The latest operation highlights the continuing security challenge posed by scattered ISIS cells despite the organization’s loss of territorial control, as Syrian authorities seek to strengthen security and prevent the group from rebuilding its presence in urban and rural areas.
Photo Credit: Courtesy: Syrian Interior Ministry Media Office
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