UN Report: Syrian Leadership Faced Five Assassination Attempts Amid Persistent ISIS Threat
A recent report by the United Nations Secretary-General has revealed that Syria’s top officials, including Ahmad Al-Shara, head of the ruling administration, were targeted in five distinct assassination attempts over the past year. The report, which focuses on the threats posed by the terrorist group ISIS (Daesh), underscores the ongoing instability and security challenges facing Syria.
UN Report Highlights Attacks on Top Officials
According to the UN Secretary-General’s latest assessment, Ahmad Al-Shara, along with Interior Minister Anas Khattab and Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shibani, were the subjects of these five serious attempts on their lives. The report, published on Wednesday, specifies that Al-Shara was targeted in both northern Aleppo and southern Daraa. The attacks are attributed to a group known as “Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah,” which the UN believes operates as a front for ISIS.
While the UN Counter-Terrorism Office did not disclose precise operational or temporal details of these incidents, it concluded that these attempts signify ISIS’s persistent strategy to destabilize the Syrian ruling administration. The use of proxy groups, the report highlights, allows ISIS to disclaim responsibility while simultaneously enhancing its operational reach and effectiveness.
The Shadow of ISIS: Exploiting Instability
UN experts emphasized that ISIS continues to maintain an active presence, particularly in northern and northeastern Syria, where it frequently targets security forces. Estimates from the international body suggest that ISIS commands approximately 3,000 fighters in Iraq and a similar number in Syria, with the majority of its forces concentrated within Syrian territory. This enduring presence and capability enable the group to exploit existing security vacuums and the pervasive instability across the nation.
Syria’s Evolving Role in Counter-Terrorism Efforts
Amidst these internal threats, Syria has taken significant steps to bolster its international counter-terrorism engagements. Last November, Syria became the 90th member of the US-led coalition against ISIS. The US Embassy in Damascus lauded this move as a “milestone in Syria’s history and the global war on terror,” calling it a crucial step towards enhanced cooperation with the United States and other partners in confronting terrorism.
Further demonstrating its commitment, Syria participated for the first time in a US-led anti-ISIS coalition meeting held in Riyadh on February 9th. The Syrian delegation was led by Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shibani and Hussein Al-Salameh, head of the Syrian General Intelligence apparatus. Syrian officials at the meeting affirmed their possession of comprehensive tools aimed at dismantling ISIS’s recruitment networks and sources.
Commitment to Eradicating Extremism
The multiple attempts on the lives of top Syrian officials, as detailed by the UN, highlight the severe and persistent threat posed by extremist groups. However, Syria’s recent diplomatic and strategic alignments signal a renewed resolve to actively combat terrorism and collaborate with international partners to eradicate its root causes and operational capabilities.
