After weeks of rapid attacks in Syria’s eastern desert and central regions, the so-called Islamic State (ISIS) has reemerged in Aleppo, Syria’s second-largest city. A militant cell affiliated with the group targeted General Security forces under the Transitional Government’s Ministry of Interior, sparking clashes that resulted in casualties. The attack came shortly after ISIS issued threats against the new administration, which Washington has urged to join the international coalition against the group and manage the detention of its members.
Is this attack an isolated incident or the beginning of a broader, coordinated campaign? And could external actors be involved?
On Saturday, the Transitional Government’s Ministry of Interior announced that its General Security Directorate and the General Intelligence Service had completed a joint operation targeting an ISIS cell in Aleppo’s al-Haydariyah neighborhood. The operation resulted in the killing of three militants and the arrest of four others.
The Ministry affirmed its ongoing efforts to dismantle terrorist cells, stating, “Security forces in Syria will continue to strike with an iron fist to protect the country’s safety and stability and confront anyone who seeks to undermine it.” Images and videos shared from the operation showed security personnel seizing explosives, a suicide vest, and uniforms typically used by security forces. One officer was killed during the raid.
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Car Bomb Attack in Eastern Syria
On Sunday, a car bomb exploded at a police station in the city of al-Mayadin in eastern Deir Ezzor, killing three officers and injuring several others. Security sources suspect the involvement of ISIS cells. Days earlier, militants attacked a grocery merchant in Palmyra after he reportedly refused to pay the group’s so-called “zakat” tax.
ISIS Targets Transitional Leader Ahmad al-Sharaa
Last Thursday, ISIS launched a media attack against Ahmad al-Sharaa, head of Syria’s transitional government, following his meeting with the U.S. President Donald Trump in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In its publication Al-Naba, the group described recent political developments—including efforts to remove Iran from Syria—as part of what it called “a war on Islam to safeguard international interests.”
The publication criticized Sharaa’s alignment with the Abraham Accords and alleged that regional powers had used financial incentives to secure Trump’s backing. According to the group, Sharaa is driven by a desire for power and is complicit in what it called “failed compromises aimed at appeasing the U.S. and Israel.” It also called on foreign fighters currently serving in the transitional government’s Ministry of Defense to defect and join ISIS cells operating in rural Syria.
Rebuilding and Reorganizing
Hassan Abu Haniya, an expert on Islamist movements based in Amman, Jordan, stated that while ISIS has lost territorial control since 2019, it has transitioned from a territorial caliphate to a security-based insurgency, particularly in Syria’s desert regions.
In comments to +963, Abu Haniya said the Aleppo incident appears to be a targeted security operation rather than a sign of widespread ISIS activity. “Last year alone, the group carried out over 500 attacks in Syria despite the presence of the U.S.-led coalition and Russian forces. It’s currently in a phase of reorganization and recruitment, waiting for instability to escalate before reasserting itself more forcefully.”
Read also: Islamic State Cell Clashes with Security Forces in Aleppo, Northern Syria
Recruiting Foreign Fighters
Abu Haniya believes the group may attempt to exploit the unresolved issue of foreign ISIS detainees to bolster its ranks. “This hinges on whether Sharaa’s transitional government can effectively rebuild Syria’s security institutions and coordinate with regional partners and the U.S.,” he noted.
He warned that ISIS retains the capacity to conduct large-scale operations and is likely waiting for further political or security disruptions to act. The fragile nature of Syria’s reconstruction and uncertainty surrounding the U.S. military presence and the future of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) pose ongoing risks. Over 10,000 ISIS members remain in detention across northeastern Syria, along with their families in nearby camps.
Following the Trump-Sharaa meeting in Riyadh, White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that Trump encouraged Sharaa to support the Abraham Accords and work with the U.S. to prevent ISIS’s return by taking responsibility for detention centers in northeastern Syria.
Most ISIS detainees are held in prisons in SDF-controlled areas in northeastern Syria. On March 10, SDF commander General Mazloum Abdi signed an agreement with Sharaa to integrate civilian and military institutions into the Syrian state framework.
Last week, the SDF announced a joint operation with internal security forces (Asayish) in eastern Deir Ezzor, resulting in the arrest of 10 ISIS members accused of plotting attacks against security forces, civilians, and public institutions. A cache of weapons and ammunition was also confiscated.
