Syrian Security Dismantles ISIS Cell in Rural Damascus Amid Intensified Counterterrorism Operations

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Syrian internal security forces announced the arrest of the leader of an ISIS cell and six of its members in the Daraya area of Rural Damascus, following what officials described as a tightly coordinated security operation carried out at a time of heightened counterterrorism activity across Syria.

In a statement released Sunday, the Internal Security Command in Rural Damascus said specialized security units, working in cooperation with the General Intelligence Service, conducted a precise raid targeting an ISIS hideout in Daraya. The operation resulted in the complete dismantling of the cell, with its ringleader and six operatives taken into custody.

Brig. Gen. Ahmed al-Dalati, commander of internal security in Rural Damascus, said the operation was executed “according to the highest levels of planning and precision,” stressing that all precautionary measures were observed to ensure civilian safety. He added that the raid reflected a high degree of coordination between security and intelligence units and demonstrated their ability to track down and neutralize terrorist cells.

Al-Dalati confirmed that weapons and various types of ammunition prepared for use in terrorist activities were seized during the operation. The statement, published by the Ministry of Defense on Telegram, described the targeted location as a hub used by the ISIS cell to plan and prepare attacks.

The arrests come against the backdrop of intensified military action against ISIS across Syria. Following the Dec. 13 attack in the ancient city of Palmyra, in which two US soldiers and a civilian interpreter were killed by a lone ISIS gunman, the United States launched extensive strikes on ISIS positions across central Syria.

According to US Central Command, more than seventy ISIS targets were hit using fighter jets, attack helicopters, and artillery, with over one hundred precision-guided munitions employed against known ISIS infrastructure and weapons sites. US President Donald Trump described the strikes as “very serious retaliation,” while CENTCOM said the operation remains part of an ongoing effort to deny the group any safe havens.

Since the Palmyra attack, US and allied forces have carried out ten operations in Syria and Iraq, resulting in the deaths or detention of twenty-three militant operatives, according to CENTCOM. Syrian authorities, meanwhile, have reiterated their commitment to confronting ISIS wherever it poses a threat, pledging to intensify military and security operations.

Despite its territorial defeat, ISIS continues to maintain an active presence, particularly in Syria’s desert regions, relying on clandestine cells and sporadic attacks. The Daraya operation underscores the continued focus of Syrian security forces on dismantling these networks as part of broader domestic and international efforts to contain the group.

The latest arrests signal an ongoing phase of counterterrorism coordination, as security agencies seek to prevent further attacks and disrupt ISIS’s operational capabilities amid a volatile security landscape.