A covert operation intended to target a militant from the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria instead resulted in the fatal shooting of a man who was allegedly working undercover to gather intelligence on the jihadist organisation, according to his family and Syrian officials. The incident, which highlights the complex and perilous dynamics of the Syrian conflict, occurred during a joint raid by US forces and a local Syrian faction.
The Fatal Operation in Dumayr
The operation took place in the early hours of October 19 in the town of Dumayr, located east of Damascus. The target was reportedly an IS militant, but the man killed was identified as Khaled al-Masoud. According to his relatives, al-Masoud had spent years infiltrating and spying on IS. He initially worked for insurgent forces led by Ahmed al-Sharaa and later served in the security apparatus of al-Sharaa's interim government, which was formed in January following the ouster of then-President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.
Local residents confirmed to media that the raid was conducted by US troops alongside the Syrian Free Army (SFA), a US-trained opposition group that once fought against Assad and now operates under the Syrian Defense Ministry.
Family's Account of the Raid
Residents of Dumayr recall being awakened around 3 am by the sound of heavy vehicles and aircraft. Abdel Kareem Masoud, the victim's cousin, described opening his door to find Humvees bearing American flags. "There was someone on top of one of them who spoke broken Arabic, pointed a machine gun at us with a green laser, and told us to go back inside," he recounted.
The forces then surrounded the house where al-Masoud lived with his wife and five daughters. His mother, Sabah al-Sheikh al-Kilani, alleged that her son was shot despite telling the troops he worked with General Security, an Interior Ministry force. She claimed he was taken away while wounded. The family was later informed by government security officials that he had been released but was in a hospital. They were subsequently called to collect his body.
"How did he die? We don't know. I want the people who took him from his children to be held accountable," his mother stated. The exact time and cause of his death remain unclear. The family firmly believes he was targeted based on "faulty intelligence" provided by SFA members.
Aftermath and US Silence
Following the operation, initial media reports claimed an "IS official" had been captured. However, US Central Command (CENTCOM), which routinely issues statements on operations that kill or detain IS members in Syria, made no official announcement about this specific incident. This silence has fueled further questions about the nature of the raid.
Fewer than 1,000 US troops are believed to be operating in Syria, primarily conducting airstrikes and ground raids against remnants of IS. They work alongside the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in the northeast and with the SFA in regions like the south, where Dumayr is located.
The case of Khaled al-Masoud underscores the ongoing challenges and tragic errors that can occur in the shadowy, intelligence-driven warfare against terrorist groups in Syria, where alliances are fluid and identities are often concealed.
