Two Syrian security personnel killed in anti-ISIS raid

Two Syrian security personnel lost their lives and five were wounded during an anti-ISIS raid near Damascus on Thursday, according to authorities. The clashes erupted in the town of Rankous, situated in the western outskirts of Damascus, leading to the fatalities and injuries, the forces announced. The operation was conducted in collaboration with Syria's General Intelligence Service.

In 2026, ISIS attacks on Syrian government forces have significantly increased, rising from 16 incidents in the previous year to 52 in the first half of the current year, as reported by the monitor Armed Conflict Location and Event Data in August. This surge in attacks is attributed to a government-led anti-ISIS campaign that was initiated following a US troops' attack in Palmyra in December of the previous year, during which a Syrian security force member opened fire during a joint patrol, resulting in the deaths of two US soldiers and an interpreter.

These attacks have targeted checkpoints, patrols, and security centers. The Syrian government, which assumed power in late 2024 following the collapse of the regime led by Bashar Al Assad, has assured international partners of its ability to contain extremists, despite the extremist background of President Ahmad Al Shara and the broader leadership team.

The Syrian leadership, which traces its origins to the country's Islamist insurgency, evolved from the Al Nusra front, which was formerly affiliated with Al Qaeda, to Hayat Tahrir Al Sham (HTS). President Al Shara has endeavored to prove his government's reliability as a security partner, especially in the fight against ISIS. Syria has been cooperating with a US-led coalition against ISIS, culminating in an agreement last year when President Al Shara visited the White House.

Although ISIS has largely been defeated territorially in Syria and its neighboring Iraq, pockets of fighters continue to carry out attacks.