Syria Foils Daesh Plots Targeting Places of Worship, Arrests Two Suspects

Syria Foils Daesh Plots Targeting Places of Worship, Arrests Two Suspects
———————————————
Syrian security forces have foiled planned attacks targeting places of worship and security patrols in Homs province and arrested two suspected Daesh members, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).

The Internal Security Forces said the suspects were allegedly responsible for receiving and transporting explosives and monitoring religious sites and security patrols to identify potential targets. Authorities seized two explosive devices during an operation in the Houla area of the Homs countryside. One suspect was reportedly arrested while attempting to plant an explosive device on a railway track.

Officials said the operation dismantled a Daesh-linked cell allegedly preparing attacks intended to inflame sectarian tensions and destabilize the region. Investigations are continuing to identify other suspected members and establish the network’s activities.

The arrests came three days after Syrian security forces detained Khaled Raed Birouni, also known as Abu Hassan Dushka, in the Damascus countryside. Authorities identified him as Daesh’s military commander in Homs and accused him of planning the December 2025 bombing of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib Mosque in Homs’s Wadi Al-Dhahab neighborhood. The attack killed eight people and wounded more than 18.

Although Daesh lost its last territorial stronghold in Syria in 2019, its remaining clandestine cells continue to pose security threats.