Syrian authorities announced on Thursday that they had foiled a dangerous plot by the Islamic State (IS) group to carry out attacks on churches and New Year's Eve gatherings. The revelation came after a deadly encounter in the city of Aleppo, where a suicide bomber affiliated with the terror group killed a member of the security forces.
Foiled Plot and Deadly Confrontation
The Syrian Interior Ministry stated it received intelligence indicating that ISIS planned "suicide operations and attacks targeting New Year's celebrations in a number of governorates, particularly the city of Aleppo." The specific targets included churches and popular civilian gathering spots. This prompted a significant tightening of security measures across the country.
The plot unraveled in Aleppo's Bab al-Faraj neighbourhood. According to an official statement, a police officer grew suspicious of an individual. Upon investigation, the person was found to be linked to Daesh, the Arabic acronym for ISIS. While being interrogated, the suspect opened fire, leading to the martyrdom of one police officer. He then detonated his explosive vest, wounding two other officers who were attempting to arrest him.
Escalating ISIS Activity and US Strikes
This incident is part of a recent surge in attacks by the Islamic State in areas under the control of the Damascus government. Just last month, on December 13, an attack in the historic city of Palmyra killed two US soldiers and an American civilian. Washington blamed a lone ISIS gunman for the assault.
In retaliation for the Palmyra attack, American forces conducted strikes against numerous ISIS targets inside Syria. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, reported that these US strikes killed five jihadist group members.
Syrian forces have also been active. On December 25, they announced the killing of a senior ISIS leader during one of their own counter-terrorism operations. This comes after Syria officially joined the US-led coalition against ISIS in November, during a visit by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to Washington.
Regional Tensions and Sectarian Violence
The security situation in Syria remains fragile and complex. President Sharaa, an Islamist ruler and former jihadist whose group once fought ISIS, came to power after the fall of long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. His rule has raised concerns among the country's minority communities.
The past year has seen deadly sectarian violence. In a grim incident in March, civilians from the Alawite community, to which Assad belonged, were massacred on the coast. July witnessed clashes in the Druze-majority Sweida province. Furthermore, a suicide bombing in a Damascus church in June killed 25 people.
While Syrian authorities blamed ISIS for the church bombing, a shadowy Sunni extremist group known as Saraya Ansar al-Sunna claimed responsibility. Analysts suggest this group often acts as a front for the Islamic State, highlighting the ongoing and evolving threat of terrorism in the region.
