Daijiworld Media Network - Damascus
Damascus, Dec 25: Syrian security agencies have arrested a senior Islamic State (IS) leader during a coordinated security operation in the outskirts of the capital, according to Syrian state media.
The state-run SANA news agency, quoting a source from the Interior Ministry, reported that the raid was conducted in the city of al-Moadamiya in Rural Damascus following extensive intelligence gathering and surveillance. The operation was carried out jointly by Syrian security forces, the General Intelligence Service, and the US-led international coalition, Xinhua news agency reported.
Ahmad al-Dallati, head of internal security in Rural Damascus province, said the operation led to the capture of the group’s chief operative in Damascus, identified as Taha al-Zoubi, also known by the alias “Abu Omar Tabiya,” along with several associates.
Security forces also recovered a suicide explosive belt and military-grade weapons from the hideout. Al-Dallati described the raid as a significant setback for IS cells operating in and around the Syrian capital.
He emphasized that authorities will continue their campaign against remaining IS elements, warning that individuals involved in terrorist activities or offering any form of support to such groups will face strict legal consequences.
The arrest comes amid tightened security measures across Syria after a spate of recent attacks targeting both civilians and security personnel.
On the same day, Syrian forces carried out another operation in the coastal province of Latakia, where three members of an armed group were killed.
In a related development earlier this August, the US-led coalition conducted an airborne raid in the northwestern province of Idlib, killing a man believed to be an IS commander. Syrian state television al-Ikhbariya reported that coalition forces surrounded a house in the town of Atmeh before storming it. The suspect attempted to flee but was shot. Coalition troops later searched the premises, seized electronic devices, questioned the property owner, and transported the body to Bab al-Hawa hospital.