Istanbul / Layth al-Junaidi / Anadolu

The Syrian Ministry of Interior announced on Thursday the dismantling of cells belonging to the terrorist organization ISIS in the southern region, and the arrest of the leader Firas al-Daghir, nicknamed the 'Governor of Lebanon and Palestine'.

The ministry said in a statement that 'specialized units, in cooperation with the General Intelligence Service, carried out a series of qualitative security operations, which resulted in the dismantling of several cells belonging to the terrorist organization ISIS in the southern region.'

It added that 'the prominent leader named Firas al-Daghir was arrested, along with a number of the most prominent leaders responsible for assassinations and financing,' without mentioning the names of the other leaders.

It explained that 'investigations showed that al-Daghir advanced through leadership positions within the organization, starting from his assumption of the so-called al-Jaidur sector and the western region, up to his assignment as the so-called Governor of Lebanon and Palestine, and his work as a personal aide to the organization's caliph.'

The ministry continued that 'investigations revealed the cells' involvement in a number of assassination and robbery crimes, which targeted several jewelers in Daraa province, in addition to disposing of stolen gold to secure the necessary funding for the organization and cover its terrorist activities.'

It added: 'The detainees confessed to assassinating two members of the Ministry of Interior, and carrying out an assassination attempt inside a barbershop that resulted in the death of a civilian, in addition to their involvement in monitoring a person and his wife before eliminating them.'

It pointed out that 'the necessary legal reports were prepared against the arrested individuals, and they were referred to the competent judiciary to complete legal procedures and impose just punishment on them.'

Earlier on Thursday, the Syrian News channel quoted an unnamed source in the Ministry of Interior as saying that 'cells belonging to the terrorist organization ISIS were dismantled, and a prominent leader and a number of its members were arrested.'

On June 9 last, the Ministry of Interior announced the arrest of 235 'terrorists' and the foiling of 7 operations by the ISIS organization within three months, as part of the outcome of security operations carried out by the Counter-Terrorism Department, in cooperation and coordination with the General Intelligence Service.

In November 2025, Damascus joined the international coalition to fight ISIS, which was formed under the leadership of the United States in 2014 and carried out military operations against the organization in Syria and Iraq, with the participation of many countries.