Syria says senior ISIL commander killed in Damascus countryside raid

Syrian Authorities Conduct Second Operation Against ISIL Fighters

A second operation against ISIL (ISIS) fighters near Damascus has been carried out by Syrian security forces, resulting in the death of a senior figure. According to the Ministry of Interior, Mohammed Shahadeh, also known as Abu Omar Shaddad, was killed during the raid.

Shahadeh is described as one of ISIL’s senior commanders in Syria and a direct threat to local security. The operation followed verified intelligence and extensive surveillance, conducted by specialised units operating in the Damascus countryside. The targeted raid took place in the town of al-Buweida, near Qatana, southwest of the capital.

The operation involved the General Intelligence Directorate and was carried out in coordination with international coalition forces. This announcement comes a day after Syrian internal security forces arrested another senior ISIL figure, Taha al-Zoubi, during a separate operation near Damascus.

According to reports from the state-run SANA news agency, al-Zoubi was arrested during a “tightly executed security operation” in the Damascus countryside. Officers seized a suicide belt and a military weapon during the arrest. Brigadier General Ahmad al-Dalati stated that the raid targeted an ISIL hideout in Maadamiya, southwest of the capital.

ISIL has largely focused its remaining operations on Kurdish-led forces in northern Syria since its defeat in Iraq and Syria. The group’s cells continue to carry out attacks in the region and beyond, including in parts of Africa and Afghanistan.

Source: Al Jazeera