19 hours ago
Syria: Daesh leader behind church bombing identified, another attack foiled
The Syrian Interior Ministry has identified the leader of a Daesh-linked cell responsible for the recent deadly church bombing in Damascus.
According to the ministry's spokesperson, the cell was headed by a Syrian national named Mohammad Abdel Ilah Al-Jamili, also known as Abu Imad Al-Jamili, a resident of the Al-Hajar Al-Aswad neighborhood in Damascus and a former Daesh commander known as the 'Wali of the Desert.'
Authorities say Abu Imad will appear in a recorded confession once the investigation is complete.
The spokesperson revealed that two suicide bombers were involved—one carried out the deadly church bombing, while the other was apprehended en route to carry out a suicide attack at the Sayyida Zainab shrine in the Damascus countryside. Both attackers were non-Syrian and had entered Damascus from Al-Hol camp in northeastern Syria, crossing through the Syrian desert with assistance from Abu Imad.
They infiltrated the capital shortly after its liberation, taking advantage of the initial security vacuum.
The Interior Ministry stressed its commitment to delivering justice and restoring public security, noting that Daesh suffered a severe security blow in Damascus and its surroundings as a result of this operation.
The ministry also reiterated that Daesh remains a cross-border threat and confirmed ongoing cooperation with neighboring countries to combat the group's terrorist activities.
