Syrian Security Forces Suffer Fatalities in Anti-ISIS Raid Near Damascus

Two members of Syria’s Internal Security Forces have been killed and five others sustained injuries during a raid targeting an ISIS-linked cell in the vicinity of Damascus. The clashes occurred in the town of Rankous, located in the western countryside of Damascus, according to authorities who announced the details on Thursday. The operation was conducted in collaboration with Syria's General Intelligence Service.

The incident follows a significant rise in ISIS attacks against Syrian government forces. Data from the monitor Armed Conflict Location and Event Data indicated a sharp increase from 16 attacks last year to 52 in the first half of the current year. This escalation is reportedly linked to an anti-ISIS campaign initiated by the government, which was itself triggered by an attack on US troops in Palmyra in December of the previous year. During that incident, a member of the Syrian security forces opened fire, resulting in the deaths of two US soldiers and an interpreter.

Attacks attributed to ISIS have targeted checkpoints, patrols, and security centers. The Syrian government, which assumed power in late 2024 following the fall of Bashar Al Assad's regime, has conveyed assurances to global powers regarding its capacity to contain extremist elements. This comes despite the militant origins of President Ahmad Al Shara and other key leadership figures within the government, whose roots trace back to Syria's Islamist insurgency and evolved from Al Nusra front, Al Qaeda’s former affiliate in Syria, to Hayat Tahrir Al Sham (HTS).

President Al Shara has been actively working to position his government as a dependable security partner, particularly in the ongoing fight against ISIS. Syria has been cooperating with a US-led coalition against ISIS, with an agreement reached late last year during President Al Shara's visit to the White House. Although ISIS has been largely territorially defeated after once controlling substantial areas in Syria and neighboring Iraq, remnants of the group continue to launch attacks from remaining pockets.