by Seth J. Frantzman
Israel has demanded that southern Syria be demilitarized, and this has caused a power vacuum as Syria seeks to see how it can police an area without creating tensions with Jerusalem.
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The Syrian government has been increasing its raids on both ISIS and weapons smugglers. The increased activity comes in the wake of the December 13 attack on US forces near Palmyra, in which two American soldiers and one interpreter were killed.
The US subsequently launched a major anti-ISIS operation over the weekend, including attacks by warplanes, helicopters, and precision artillery. Currently, Syria wants to show that it can also dismantle ISIS networks and other armed groups that may pose a threat.
Two days ago, Syrian state media SANA stated, “Syrian internal security units, in coordination with the General Intelligence Directorate, carried out a security operation on Sunday in the Daraya area, southwest of Damascus, targeting a hideout of the ISIS terrorist group.”
The report added, “Brigadier General Ahmad al-Dalati, head of internal security in [the] Damascus countryside, said in a statement that the operation led to the dismantling of the cell and the arrest of its leader, along with six other members. Various weapons and ammunition, intended for planned attacks, were also seized.”
The SANA report concludes with Al-Dalati noting, “that the raid was based on detailed investigations, accurate intelligence, and continuous surveillance of the cell’s movements over the past several weeks. He concluded that the operation is part of the Interior Ministry’s broader strategy to eliminate sources of terrorism, prevent threats to community security, and ensure peace and stability in the country.”
Israel has demanded that southern Syria be demilitarized, and this has caused a power vacuum as Syria seeks methods for policing an area without causing tension with Jerusalem. That has allowed several armed groups and smugglers to infiltrate into areas in Dara’a, which are near Jordan and the Golan. Jordan also joined the US strikes on ISIS because Jordan wants security near its border and wants to help Syria.
Integrating SDF with Syrian security forces
The operation against smugglers is important. However, Damascus has claimed that the smugglers operating in Dara’a are in cooperation with Druze groups in Suwayda and the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, which Syrian state media calls “QSD militias.” This is part of a whisper campaign that aims to make it seem like the SDF and those in Suwayda are part of the problem in Syria. Damascus wants the SDF to integrate with its security forces. It also wants the US to agree that Suwayda’s attempts to break away from Damascus are creating a power vacuum.The anti-smuggling operation was launched" following precise and reliable intelligence about suspicious activity at a farm in the area. Security forces swiftly moved to the location, imposed a tight cordon, and carried out a raid. During the operation, security units seized FPV-type drones with all their accessories, approximately 1.5 tons of TNT explosives, and anti-personnel explosive devices weighing two kilograms each, which had been prepared for use in suicide drones,” SANA said. “All seized items were confiscated, and the suspects were referred to the competent authorities to complete investigations ahead of their transfer to the judiciary to take the necessary legal measures.”
Last week, Syria’s “Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates affirmed Syria’s commitment to combating ISIS and ensuring that the organization has no safe havens on its territory, calling on the US and member states of the International Coalition to join in supporting Syria’s efforts against terrorism.”
In another update from Syria, the North Press news group in eastern Syria has noted, “The eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor, eastern Syria, witnessed on Saturday evening intensified military activity by the US-led Global Coalition forces, marked by low-altitude aerial movements and the deployment of ground military convoys, amid ongoing security operations in the area.”
The report says that a “North Press correspondent reported that Coalition warplanes flew at unusually low altitudes over the region, with the sound of aircraft clearly audible across the towns of al-Busayyah, Shuhail, and Diban, extending as far as the border town of Baghuz.” Baghuz was the site of ISIS’s last stand in Syria in 2019.
Seth J. Frantzman
Source: https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-880960
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