Damascus, Oct 22. (dpa/GNA) – Two members of Syria’s internal security forces were killed and five others wounded, in clashes during an operation, targeting a suspected cell of the Islamic State terrorist militia near Damascus, the state news agency SANA reported on Thursday.
The clashes took place in Rankous, a town in the Qalamoun region north-west of the capital, where security forces were conducting an operation against suspected Islamic State members, according to SANA.
Three alleged members of the organization were also killed, according to security sources.
Local residents described a fierce exchange of gunfire. Rankous is located near the Syrian-Lebanese border in a strategically important mountainous area, crossed by routes linking the two countries.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, it could not independently verify the authorities’ claim that the group targeted in the operation was affiliated with Islamic State.
The British-based monitoring group, called for a transparent investigation to establish the identities of those involved, and the circumstances that led to the clashes.
Although Islamic State lost control of its last major territorial stronghold in Syria in 2019, its cells have continued to carry out attacks in the country, including after the fall of long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.
GNA