Deadly Clash Between ISIS and Security Forces in Raqqa, Syria
Syrian sources have reported that following an attack by ISIS militants on a checkpoint at the western entrance of Raqqa city in northern Syria, one security force member was killed and another injured. According to a security source who spoke to Syrian Television, the attacker was killed during the clash.
The source added that the assailant was equipped with an explosive belt and grenades and intended to target forces stationed at the “Al-Sabahiyah” checkpoint. No further details have been released yet about how the incident unfolded or the identities of the victims.
At the same time, ISIS released an audio message attributed to “Abu Hudhayfah al-Ansari,” the group’s spokesperson, describing the new Syrian government as “secular and apostate” and declaring war against it. The message also mentioned “Ahmad al-Shar’a” and issued a warning about his political future.
Previously, ISIS had captured large areas of Iraq in 2014, including the provinces of Nineveh, Salah al-Din, and Anbar; however, the group suffered military defeat by late 2017 in Iraq and in 2019 in Syria. Despite the collapse of its main structure, scattered ISIS cells continue to threaten security in some regions through sporadic attacks.
Analysts believe that recent political developments in Damascus could provide the grounds for the reactivation of these cells, raising concerns about the potential return of instability to parts of Syria.
