Syria foils Islamic State plots on President Sharaa’s life
Syria has reportedly prevented two separate attempts by the Islamic State to assassinate President Ahmed al Sharaa, senior government officials revealed on Monday. The revelation adds a personal dimension to the Syrian leader’s decision to align more closely with the United States and regional partners in renewed efforts to counter the militant group.
According to officials speaking on condition of anonymity, the plots were uncovered through coordinated intelligence operations involving Syria’s National Security Bureau and military intelligence. The first attempt was planned earlier this year and involved a small cell operating near Damascus. The second plot, described as more advanced, was detected in late October within the central province of Homs.
Authorities say several suspects have been detained, including individuals with past links to Islamic State networks active in eastern Syria. The suspects were allegedly preparing explosive devices and had been tracking the president’s planned movements between military facilities. Officials emphasized that both plots were neutralized before they could advance to the operational stage.
President Sharaa has survived multiple security threats since assuming office following the country’s fragile recovery from civil conflict. His administration has sought to balance relations with Russia, Iran, and recently the United States as part of a regional realignment against resurgent militant activity. The thwarted attacks have renewed internal debates about the depth of cooperation between Damascus and Western intelligence agencies.
Security analysts say the Islamic State, though weakened, retains the ability to conduct targeted operations against government and military figures. Cells operating in desert areas near Deir ez Zor and Raqqa have reportedly regrouped, taking advantage of Syria’s slow reconstruction and porous borders. The group has increasingly relied on asymmetric tactics, including ambushes, kidnappings, and bombings against both security forces and local leaders.
A senior Syrian security adviser said the failed assassination attempts highlight the group’s continuing threat. “These incidents remind us that the fight against extremism is far from over. The president remains a prime target because he symbolizes the restoration of the Syrian state,” the official said.
The U.S. State Department declined to comment on the reported plots but reiterated Washington’s commitment to dismantling Islamic State networks across the region. Diplomatic observers view Sharaa’s overtures toward joint counterterrorism coordination as a significant shift, signaling a possible thaw in the long strained U.S. Syria relationship.
The renewed cooperation is expected to focus on intelligence sharing and targeting cross border financing networks used by militants. Officials in Damascus believe that international collaboration will strengthen domestic security while projecting an image of stability after years of isolation.
The foiling of the assassination plots underscores both the persistence of extremist threats and the changing geopolitical calculations shaping Syria’s future.
