Syrian authorities say terrorist cell member got detained in Latakia

(MENAFN) Syrian authorities announced on Sunday the arrest of an alleged member of a “terrorist cell” in the northwestern province of Latakia.

The Interior Ministry said the suspect, identified as Basel Issa Ali Jamahiri, was detained in the village of Duweir Ba‘bada in the Jableh countryside for alleged membership in a group known as “Saraya al-Jawad,” which the ministry said is affiliated with former special forces commander Suheil al-Hassan.

Security forces confiscated several weapons and quantities of ammunition that had been concealed in different locations, the ministry added.

Suheil al-Hassan, a former commander in the army of the ousted Assad government, is widely regarded as one of the figures most closely associated with repression during the Syrian uprising between 2011 and 2024. He has been linked to the regime’s policy of violently suppressing protests, including the use of barrel bombs.

According to the ministry, the arrest was part of a wider security operation carried out by the Internal Security Command in Latakia province on Wednesday.

Earlier the same day, authorities reported seizing improvised explosive devices and various weapons during operations targeting the Saraya al-Jawad cell. Those actions led to the arrest of one member and the neutralization of three others.

The new Syrian administration has stepped up nationwide security measures and is pursuing remnants of the former regime accused of fueling instability.

Bashar al-Assad, who ruled Syria for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia in late 2024, ending Baath Party rule that had lasted since 1963. A transitional government led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa was formed in January.

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