Updated 15 min 50 sec ago
November 10, 2026 22:59
DAMASCUS: Syrian security forces killed the leader of an armed cell allegedly linked to remnants of former President Bashar Al‑Assad’s government during an ambush carried out in the eastern countryside of Tartous on Tuesday, the Interior Ministry said.
The Internal Security Forces identified the man as Yazan Abbas, who commanded a four‑member cell accused of planning attacks and carrying out armed robberies targeting civilian property.
The operation was launched after the Counterterrorism Department identified the group and coordinated an ambush with security forces, according to the Interior Ministry.
The ensuing clashes left Abbas dead and another member of the cell wounded. Security forces also seized weapons and ammunition.
The Internal Security Forces said they are continuing “intensive search and pursuit operations” to arrest the remaining members of the group.
The operation comes amid a broader effort by Syrian authorities to dismantle armed groups believed to be linked to the former Assad regime, which was overthrown in December 2024.
Earlier, on Oct. 30, Syrian authorities accused former regime loyalists of ambushing a customs patrol on the highway linking Homs and Tartous, killing one officer and wounding two others, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency.
In March, security forces arrested three suspects in Tartous for plotting attacks on security personnel and civilians. One of the detainees had received training in explosives manufacturing and led a cell connected to the former regime.
Syria’s coastal region has suffered recurring violence and security operations since Assad’s fall, including deadly clashes between government forces and former regime loyalists in March 2025.