In a decisive blow to the Islamic State’s presence in the Syrian capital, the Ministry of Interior of the newly established government announced on Monday the capture of six ISIS militants and the killing of two others during sweeping counterterrorism operations in Damascus. The operations followed devastating suicide bombing at the Mar Elias Church, which left dozens dead and wounded. The raids were launched in the restive suburbs of Harasta and Kafr Batna, where intelligence pinpointed ISIS hideouts believed to be harboring operatives involved in planning and facilitating recent attacks.
Among those apprehended alive is a senior figure within the ISIS network, reportedly responsible for coordinating logistics and communications between sleeper cells. The two militants killed during the raids engaged in armed resistance; one of them is believed to have personally assisted the suicide bomber who carried out the Mar Elias Church attack.
Security forces recovered a large cache of weapons and explosive materials from the targeted residences, including a suicide vest, multiple landmines, a motorcycle prepped for use in future attacks, automatic rifles, and stockpiles of ammunition and detonators.
“These operations were executed with precision and urgency in direct response to the cowardly attack on the Mar Elias Church,” the Interior Ministry said in its statement. “The swift dismantling of this ISIS cell sends a clear message: acts of terror will be met with overwhelming force and zero tolerance.”
While ISIS has not formally claimed responsibility for the church bombing, a previously unknown group calling itself Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah has stepped forward to take credit. In a public statement, the group expressed allegiance to ISIS’s ideology and is believed to maintain operational and logistical links with remnants of the Islamic State network across southern Syria.
The Mar Elias bombing, which targeted a historic church in central Damascus, marked one of the deadliest attacks in the capital in recent years and sparked widespread outrage. Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos as worshippers attempted to flee the blast site, with emergency services overwhelmed by the scale of casualties.
The Ministry pledged to expand nationwide operations to root out all terrorist elements and urged citizens to remain vigilant. “We will continue to pursue and eliminate all groups that seek to destabilize Syria and shed innocent blood,” the statement read.
This latest security operation underscores the ongoing threat posed by ISIS affiliates, even after the group’s territorial defeat, and highlights the Syrian government’s renewed determination to confront terrorism with “unshakable resolve and strategic clarity.”
