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27-12-2025
DAMASCUS: The Syrian government arrested a prominent ISIS leader, Taha al Zoubi (also known as Abu Omar Tabiya), along with several associates, according to a statement from the Syrian Interior Minister on Wednesday.
Zoubi was reportedly apprehended with a suicide belt and a weapon at the time of his arrest.
Major General Ahmad Al-Dalati, head of internal security in Rural Damascus, noted: “Our specialized units, in cooperation with the General Intelligence Directorate and the International Coalition Forces, conducted a targeted security operation at one of the hideouts of the ISIS terrorist organization in the town of Moadamiya, Rural Damascus, after extensive monitoring and intelligence surveillance.”
The statement went on to address the terror group directly: “We send a clear message to anyone who dares to engage in terrorism or support ISIS: the hand of justice will reach them wherever they are, and they will find no refuge in our land.”
“The security of Syria is a red line, and we will continue to strike with an iron fist until we completely eliminate the remnants of terrorism and their hideouts.”
Syria’s international partnerships
The arrest follows an increase in raids by the Syrian government on both ISIS and weapons smugglers ignited in the wake of the December 13 attack on US forces near Palmyra, in which two American soldiers and one interpreter were killed.
The US and Syria have been working together to combat ISIS this year, particularly after Damascus announced its intention to join the International Coalition in November. This decision followed a meeting between Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and US President Donald Trump.
Over the last three months, Syrian forces, in collaboration with the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), conducted multiple anti-ISIS operations aimed at complete disarmament and demilitarization of the terror group.
Last week, at least two civilians were killed and several were wounded in a wave of attacks in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo on Monday, with government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces trading blame for the deaths.
The Syrian health ministry said two people were killed and several were wounded in shelling by the SDF on residential neighborhoods in the city. The injuries included two children and two civil defense workers.
Hours earlier, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said during a visit to Damascus that the SDF appeared to have no intention of honoring a commitment to integrate into the state’s armed forces by an agreed year-end deadline.
Turkey views the US-backed SDF, which controls swathes of northeastern Syria, as a terrorist organization and has warned of military action if the group does not honor the agreement.
“We’re hearing the sounds of artillery and mortar shells, and there is a heavy army presence in most areas of Aleppo,” an eyewitness in Aleppo told media. Another eyewitness said the sound of strikes were very strong, and described the situation as “terrifying.”
Mohamed Abdel Ghany, the head of internal security in Aleppo, said that forces were working on evacuating and ensuring the safety of civilians in neighborhoods under attack.
Syrian state news agency SANA, citing the defense ministry, reported earlier that the SDF had launched a sudden attack on security forces and the army in the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah neighborhoods of Aleppo, resulting in injuries.
The SDF denied this and said the attack was carried out by factions affiliated with the Syrian government. It said those factions were using tanks and artillery against residential neighborhoods in the city. (Int’l News Desk)
