Syrian security forces dismantle ISIS cell near Israeli border
Seven members of the cell were arrested during a security operation in Khan Arnabah, Quneitra. Among those detained is the cell commander, who previously operated in Damascus and Hauran and was linked to a senior ISIS operative eliminated in 2022.
The Syrian Interior Ministry announced the arrest of a seven-member ISIS cell during a security operation in the city of Khan Arnabah in the Quneitra region, near the border with Israel.
According to the ministry's statement, the arrests were carried out in coordination between the Interior Ministry and the General Intelligence Directorate as part of ongoing efforts to track down the organization's cells and seize its funding sources.
During the operation, the cell commander, Musab Khalil al-Sheikh, known as "al-Sini" (The Chinese), was taken into custody. Syrian authorities stated that al-Sheikh was an active ISIS member in the Damascus and Hauran areas.
Reports indicate that al-Sheikh previously operated within a cell associated with Abd al-Rahman al-Iraqi, a senior ISIS operative killed in the Daraa area in 2022.
In recent months, Syrian security services have reported a series of operations targeting armed infrastructure and weapons smuggling. In July, the Interior Ministry announced it had thwarted an attempt to smuggle a large shipment of weapons across the Iraqi border, which reportedly included missiles, explosives, and approximately 150 explosive UAVs intended for Hezbollah in Lebanon.
