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ISIS claims responsibility for Syria attack targeting official

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • ISIS claimed responsibility for an attack in Syria that injured Salah Ahmad al-Saleh, head of the Justice Palace department in Babila, south of Damascus.
  • The attack occurred as Syria attempts to stabilize and attract investment, with ISIS potentially exploiting recent security force changes.
  • The group also claimed responsibility for an attack on a Syrian interior ministry camp in Raqqa that killed one security member.

The extremist group Islamic State (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for a new attack in Syria, targeting Salah Ahmad al-Saleh, head of the Justice Palace department in Babila, south of Damascus. Syrian state media reported that an improvised explosive device detonated against al-Saleh's vehicle, injuring him.

an improvised explosive device detonated yesterday against the vehicle of Salah Ahmad al-Saleh, head of the Justice Palace department in Babila, south of Damascus, leaving him injured in the Daf al-Shok area.

— Syrian state mediaReporting on the attack targeting Salah Ahmad al-Saleh.

Aaron Zelin, a senior fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, noted on social media that ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack. He also pointed out that the group's claim referenced a U.S. military presence at a base, despite the U.S. withdrawal from Syria in April.

ISIS later claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it had targeted him.

— Syrian state mediaConfirming ISIS's claim of responsibility for the attack.

ISIS has also claimed responsibility for an attack on an oil tanker near Manbij and the incident in Babila. This attack comes as Syria works to stabilize after years of conflict, attracting investment and rehabilitating energy facilities. The Syrian government recently retook key gas and oil facilities in the Euphrates River valley from the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which are now integrating into Syrian security forces. ISIS may be attempting to exploit these changes.

the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack in Raqqa that happened yesterday.

— Aaron ZelinCommenting on ISIS's claims of responsibility for various attacks.

Separately, Reuters reported that ISIS claimed responsibility for an attack on a Syrian interior ministry camp in Raqqa that killed one member of the security personnel. The Syrian Interior Ministry stated that its forces thwarted an attack by two ISIS militants on a command headquarters in Raqqa. The attacks occur amid protests against the former regime and concerns of revenge killings, as well as reports of Syria denying interest in intervening in Lebanon against Hezbollah.

interestingly, they still note at the end a reference to a US military presence at the base even though the US completed its military withdrawal from Syria in April.

— Aaron ZelinObserving a detail in ISIS's claims of responsibility.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Jerusalem Post in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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