Eurasia Press & News
The Syrian Ministry of Interior announced the dismantling of a cell belonging to the “Islamic State” organization in Deir ez-Zor governorate, following a security operation carried out by the Internal Security Forces in cooperation with the General Intelligence Service, which resulted in the arrest of the leader of the cell and a number of its members.
The ministry said on Saturday, August 1, that the operation was based on accurate intelligence, noting that the members of the cell took the initiative to engage the force executing when raiding their positions, and refused to surrender.
She added that the leader of the cell, named Abdel Fattah, tried to throw a hand grenade in his possession, but the members of the force were able to control him before carrying out his attempt, while a child who was inside the house was injured, and was transferred to the hospital for treatment.
According to the ministry, the operation also resulted in the death of a person named Atallah, who described him as the official of assassinations in the region, before he was able to detonate an explosive belt he was wearing, in addition إلقاءto arresting Haidar Jadaan al-Jassim, and seizing weapons, ammunition and explosive belts in the possession of members of the cell.
According to the statement, the preliminary investigations showed that the cell is behind a number of attacks in the areas of Baghouz and Al-Shafa in the countryside of Al-Bukamal, including the assassination of a diplomatic security agent during Eid al-Adha, and the planting of an explosive device inside a commercial shop that led to the death of a security officer, in addition to targeting one of the internal security vehicles with an explosive device.
The Ministry of Interior confirmed the continuation of investigations with the detainees in preparation for their referral to the competent judiciary, and the prosecution of anyone found to be involved in supporting the cell or covering up its members.
This is the second operation against the organization in Deir ez-Zor this week, and the previous operation resulted in the death of a member of a cell of the organization “Daash” and the arrest of others, in addition to the killing of a child during the clashes and the injury of a security element, according to a statement of the Ministry of Interior.
Anab Baladi’s correspondent in Deir ez-Zor said that on July 29, the Syrian security forces launched a security campaign in the town of Baghouz, which resulted in the killing of Atallah Habib al-Ankoud, a member of the cell accused of belonging to ISIS, and a child was killed during the clashes, and a member of the security forces was wounded.
During the campaign, security authorities arrested Abdel Fattah Juma, a successor nicknamed “Sisi” after his injury during the clashes, and is considered “one of the most wanted in the town,” and works within a group affiliated with the organization “Islamic State” and is accused of responsibility for a series of assassinations of civilians in the region, according to the reporter.
Security operation in Aleppo
The operation came after the Interior Ministry announced on July 28 that two Islamic State cells had been arrested in Aleppo province.
Interior Ministry spokesman Noureddine al-Baba said in a video interview published by the Aleppo Media Directorate on Tuesday that security forces had arrested two cells in the city and its countryside, consisting of seven people, as part of what the organization calls “the province of Aleppo.”
According to the Pope, the scene of the two operations of the organization was in the city of al-Bab and the town of al-Rai, northeast of Aleppo, where they carried out operations targeting elements belonging to the Ministries of Interior and Defense, in addition to trying to target government buildings and cars.
The Interior Ministry thwarted an operation it described as “terrorist” during the process of arresting them, according to the Pope, and investigations indicated the existence of an arms depot used by the cells of the organization.
The warehouse contains raw materials used in the manufacture of explosives, explosive devices, detonating vests, machine guns and pistols equipped with silencers.
The Pope promised to share more information with the public as soon as investigations into the two cells were completed.
The organization has previously claimed several assassinations of security and military elements, most of which have been concentrated recently in the countryside of Aleppo governorate.
On the other hand, the Syrian government accused the organization of bombings in Damascus, most notably in conjunction with the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to the capital Damascus on July 7.
On the other hand, the Ministry of Interior in several areas of Syria is launching campaigns against members of the “Islamic State” in an attempt to curb their operations, which have recently escalated.
