Damascus: Syrian security forces arrested a senior ISIS (Daesh) leader and killed another in the Damascus countryside in operations conducted in coordination with an international coalition against the terrorist group, the Interior Ministry said Thursday.

According to Anadolu Agency, specialized units, working with the General Intelligence Directorate and coalition forces, executed a coordinated raid on an ISIS hideout in Moadamiyah on Wednesday. This action followed intensive surveillance and intelligence tracking, as reported by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), citing Brigadier General Ahmad al-Dalati, the head of internal security in the Damascus countryside.

The operation resulted in the arrest of Taha al-Zoubi, also known as Abu Omar Tibiya, along with several aides. Security forces seized a suicide vest and military-grade weapons, Dalati mentioned. He characterized the arrest as 'a major blow' to the terror group, underscoring the preparedness of Syria's security agencies to address threats to the capital and its environs.

The security official warned that those who join or assist ISIS will be pursued and held accountable, emphasizing there will be no sanctuary for terrorism in Syria. The ministry reported another ISIS leader was killed in a raid in the town of al-Buwayda, also in the Damascus countryside.

The ministry identified Mohammed Shahada, known as Abu Omar Shaddad, as the target of the raid, describing him as a prominent ISIS leader in Syria. Interior Minister Anas Khattab praised the targeting of the ISIS terrorists as 'a new episode in the fight against this terrorist organization.' He stated on the US social media company X that the raids were executed 'through a precise tactic and high coordination between the Interior Ministry and the General Intelligence Service, in cooperation with international partners.'

On Sunday, the Interior Ministry announced the dismantling of an ISIS cell in the town of Daraya, near Damascus, with the arrest of seven members. Syria formally joined the US-led international coalition against ISIS on November 12, according to a statement by the US Embassy in Damascus. The coalition, formed in 2014, has conducted military operations against ISIS in Syria and Iraq, though Damascus was not previously a member.