Azernews.Az

By Alimat Aliyeva

Syrian security forces have dismantled a nine-member cell of the Daesh terrorist group in the southern province of Quneitra, the country’s Interior Ministry said on Sunday.

The ministry’s Internal Security Forces said the operation was carried out in cooperation with the General Intelligence Service in the city of Khan Arnabah.

The cell’s alleged leader, Musab Khalil al-Sheikh, also known as Al-Sini, was among those arrested, according to the ministry.

Authorities said al-Sheikh had previously operated within Daesh ranks in Damascus, its surrounding areas, the Syrian desert and villages across the southern Hauran region.

He had also worked with a terrorist group led by Abu Abdulrahman al-Iraqi, a Daesh leader who was killed in Syria’s southern Daraa province in 2022, the ministry said.

Preliminary investigations indicated that the cell had carried out field and logistical activities for Daesh, including collecting weapons and transporting explosive devices and their components.

The cell also allegedly supported the movement of Daesh members in the region, according to the ministry.

All nine suspects have been referred to the relevant judicial authorities for further investigation and legal proceedings.

Syria joined the US-led international coalition against Daesh in November 2025. Established in 2014, the coalition has conducted military operations against the terrorist group in Syria and Iraq.