Syria has announced the arrest of an alleged Islamic State (ISIS)-linked militant cell after two explosions rocked the capital city of Damascus and reignited concern over the country’s security situation.
The arrests come just days after French President Emmanuel Macron had traveled to Syria in a high-profile meeting to promote relations between France and Syria’s transitional leadership.
According to Syrian authorities, the security operation was launched immediately after the coordinated blasts that targeted crowded areas in Damascus and killed many people, and many more were injured.
Security forces at the scene helped in identifying and dismantling a suspected terrorist network that was behind the attacks, said officials.
The Interior Ministry said several suspects were taken into custody following raids in various parts of the capital. The group seized weapons, explosives, and communication equipment, police were able to take possession of.
The Islamic State has lost much of the territory it once occupied in Syria and Iraq but sleeper cells are still engaged in sporadic attacks in desert areas and in cities.
Despite the military defeats, security experts say, even though the extremist organization remains able to set up deadly operations to destabilize the country, the extremist organization can still conduct attacks and be a threat in the desert areas and urban centers.
The timing of the attacks has also attracted attention since President Emmanuel Macron became one of the first Western leaders to visit Syria after recent political developments.
Macron was to visit to expand humanitarian assistance, support reconstruction and facilitate political dialogue between Syria and European partners.
Although Syrian officials have not connected the attacks directly with Macron's trip, analysts believe the timing may have been to undermine the government’s efforts to show improvement in stability and to attract more international engagement.
France strongly condemned the bombings and reiterated France’s commitment to supporting efforts against terrorism in the region.
Paris also paid tribute to the victims, and said international cooperation is needed to fight extremist groups in the Middle East.
Residents in Damascus described scenes of panic as emergency workers rushed to the blast sites. Security forces quickly closed neighborhoods and forensic teams collected evidence.
The injured were treated in hospitals in the capital and authorities beefed up security at government buildings, public transportation hubs and big markets.
The Syrian government has stepped up counterterrorism operations in recent months and intensified the search for ISIS hideouts and intelligence coordination, officials say.
A strong national security goal is the eradication of terrorist organizations and to prevent them from re-emerging in the current political and economic situation and to put the country on track, the officials said.
Although large-scale fighting is largely over for most parts of Syria, security threats from militant organizations continue to pose significant risks.
Syrian authorities will monitor the situation and try to prevent any future attack as well as international partners.
