On Sunday, June 29, the Syrian Ministry of Information denied reports of an assassination attempt targeting President Ahmed Al-Sharaa during his visit to the southern governorate of Daraa at the start of the month.
A source from the ministry told the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), “There is no truth to what was circulated in the media about the Syrian army and Turkish intelligence thwarting an attempt to assassinate President Ahmed Al-Sharaa during his visit to Daraa.”
Earlier in the day, the Lebanese channel LBCI reported that the Syrian army, in cooperation with Turkish intelligence, had foiled an assassination attempt on Al-Sharaa during his visit to the governorate.
According to LBCI, “Behind the attempt is an ISIS cell, headed by a person from Daraa, who was arrested by the Syrian army the day before Al-Sharaa’s visit to the governorate.”
On June 6, the first day of Eid al-Adha, President Al-Sharaa visited Daraa and met with several political and civil society figures.
On June 10, the United States Special Envoy to Syria, Thomas Barak, stated that Washington is concerned for the safety of Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa.
Barak said the United States had growing concerns about Al-Sharaa’s security, emphasising the need to establish an effective protection system around him to guard against potential assassination attempts.
He noted that President Al-Sharaa’s push for inclusive governance and his recent outreach to Western nations could make him a target for extremist groups opposed to political reform, according to remarks published by Al-Monitor.
Barak also called for an acceleration of economic aid to Syria, warning that delays could embolden fragmented groups seeking to disrupt the political process.
He stressed that deterring such groups requires close intelligence cooperation among Washington’s allies, which he said could help prevent the need for direct military intervention.
Barak further noted that U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to soon sign an executive order lifting a number of longstanding sanctions on Syria dating back to 1979, and indicated that exemptions to the Caesar Act would continue until the legislation is fully repealed.
