Syrian security forces detained a high-ranking Islamic State (IS) figure in a security sweep in the outskirts of Damascus, as per reports from Syrian state media. The operation, conducted with the General Intelligence Service and a US-led coalition, targeted an IS hideout in al-Moadamiya city in Rural Damascus following extensive surveillance and intelligence work. The arrested individual, identified as Taha al-Zoubi or “Abu Omar Tabiya,” was apprehended along with several associates during the operation led by Ahmad al-Dallati, the head of internal security in Rural Damascus province.
The security forces uncovered an explosive suicide belt and military-grade weapons during the raid, which is seen as a significant setback to IS networks in and around the Syrian capital. Al-Dallati emphasized that the authorities will persist in pursuing IS remnants and hold accountable anyone involved in terrorism or aiding the group. This operation is part of broader security measures in Syria in response to recent attacks targeting both security personnel and civilians.
In a separate incident, security forces in Latakia province carried out an operation that resulted in the elimination of three members of an armed group. Additionally, in a previous event in August, a US-led coalition airstrike targeted a house in Idlib province, leading to the death of an alleged Islamic State commander. The coalition forces surrounded the house in Atmeh town, where the commander was shot dead while attempting to flee. Subsequently, the troops searched the premises, confiscated electronic devices, and interrogated the landlord before transferring the body to a local hospital.
