Syrian security forces neutralize 2 ISIS terrorists near Damascus

Syrian security forces neutralized two ISIS (Daesh) terrorists following an armed clash as they attempted to plant an explosive device in the Damascus countryside, authorities said Friday evening.

The Interior Ministry’s Internal Security Forces Command said in a statement that a night patrol spotted two masked individuals positioned along a roadside while monitoring routes leading to military barracks and government facilities in the Sayyida Zaynab area, south of Damascus.

“When patrol officers attempted to stop them to verify their identities, they opened fire on the officers, triggering a clash that ended with their neutralization,” the statement said.

A subsequent inspection of the site showed that the two suspects had been planting an explosive device in preparation for an attack targeting a government institution, it added.

Security forces also found "explosive devices and weapons" in their possession, according to the statement, which said an investigation established that they were affiliated with the Daesh terrorist group.

In November 2025, Damascus joined the US-led international coalition against Daesh, which was established in 2014 and has conducted operations against the terrorist group in Syria and Iraq.