Two Killed as Security Forces Clash with ISIS Cell in Idlib

Security forces operating under the Syrian Salvation Government (SSG) in northwestern Syria announced Sunday, August 25, that they had neutralized an ISIS cell following a deadly clash in the town of Termanin, north of Idlib.

The clash resulted in the deaths of two individuals, including one member of the General Security forces, and the leader of the ISIS cell, identified as Abdul Qader. Another member of the cell was injured and subsequently arrested.

According to Major Izzuddin Muhammad al-Ghazali, Director of the Security Directorate in the Northern Region, the operation was the result of meticulous monitoring and surveillance by a special force within the Public Security Administration. The ISIS cell had been implicated in the killing of two civilians from the nearby town of Salwa several weeks earlier.

“The clash began when the ISIS militants refused to surrender and opened fire on our forces,” Major al-Ghazali said in a statement. “The engagement led to the martyrdom of one of our General Security members, known as Abu Jandal. However, we successfully eliminated the cell’s leader and captured another operative.”

This operation marks the second significant clash between the General Security forces and ISIS in the Idlib region this month. On August 12, three suspected ISIS members were killed in a confrontation with security forces in Deir Hassan, another town north of Idlib.

Major al-Ghazali emphasized the ongoing commitment of the General Security Directorate to protect the region. “We will continue to defend our people and expose all criminal cells that have caused or are attempting to cause harm in the liberated areas,” he stated.

The SSG, which operates in areas under the influence of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), has been actively targeting remnants of ISIS cells in the region, which remain a threat despite the group’s reduced presence in Syria.