📰 Syrian forces dismantle outlaw cell in Lattakia

Lattakia, Dec, 24 (SANA) Lattakia’s Internal Security Commander Brig. Gen. Abdulaziz Hilal al-Ahmad declared that special units of the Internal Security Command, in cooperation with the Counterterrorism Branch and a unit of the Syrian Arab Army, carried out a “qualitative security operation” on Wednesday morning targeting a group belonging to a cell known as “Saraya al-Jawad,” affiliated with the criminal Suheil al-Hassan, in the countryside of Jableh. In a statement by the Ministry of Interior on Telegram, al-Ahmad stated the cell was involved in assassinations, summary executions, the planting of improvised explosive devices and attacks targeting Internal Security and Syrian Arab Army positions.

He stated the group had also been preparing to target emerging Year celebrations, posing what he described as a direct threat to civilian safety. Al-Ahmad said security troops conducted careful surveillance and tracking before encircling the area and the house where the suspects were holed up. Civilians were evacuated and secured outside the operational zone “out of concern for their safety and to prevent any harm,” he said. He added that despite repeated calls for the suspects to surrender, they refused to comply, leading to a clash that lasted about an hour.

The operation resulted in the arrest of one cell member and the killing of three others, while four security personnel sustained light injuries. Al-Ahmad said Internal Security units seized improvised explosive devices, various weapons, ammunition and armed forces uniforms during the operation. The arrested criminal was referred to the Counterterrorism Directorate to complete investigations, ahead of referral to the competent judiciary to take the necessary legal measures. He stressed that efforts are continuing to fully dismantle the cell and eliminate its extensions, underscoring that security troops will persist in pursuing criminal cells linked to remnants of the deposed regime and will not relent in their national duty to protect citizens and safeguard security and stability.

Earlier today, a security source informed SANA that clashes had broken out between Internal Security units and a group of wanted outlaws near the city of Jableh in the Latakia countryside, resulting in injuries among multiple Internal Security personnel.