(../../../../favicon_aje.ico) Two Syrian security officers killed in raid on ISIL cell near Damascus | Armed Groups News | Al Jazeera    (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/22/two-syrian-security-officers-killed-in-raid-on-isil-cell-near-damascus)                                               (https://www.aljazeera.com/xml/rss/all.xml)  (https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2026/10/22/two-syrian-security-officers-killed-in-raid-on-isil-cell-near-damascus)  (https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/2026-05-19T162359Z_30554395_RC2FCLAXL1TG_RTRMADP_3_SYRIA-SECURITY-EXPLOSION-1792689949.jpg?resize=1920%2C1440)  (../../../../wp-content/uploads/2026/10/2026-05-19T162359Z_30554395_RC2FCLAXL1TG_RTRMADP_3_SYRIA-SECURITY-EXPLOSION-1792689949.jpg@resize=770,513&quality=80)     (https://cdn.cookielaw.org) (https://cdn.cookielaw.org) (https://cdn.cookielaw.org) (https://cdn.cookielaw.org/scripttemplates/otSDKStub.js) (https://www.google-analytics.com) (https://www.google-analytics.com) (https://www.google-analytics.com) (https://static.chartbeat.com/) (https://static.chartbeat.com/) (https://static.chartbeat.com/) (../../../../static/css/vendor~main~d08ff9cb.24bf1742.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~748942c6.6cd3b839.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~b07b7304.e3bc53a0.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~6e6dca10.b9196be1.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~d92ce3db.c3cbd92c.r2.chunk.css) (https://www.aljazeera.com/static/media/Roboto-Bold.52bb58c8.woff2) (https://www.aljazeera.com/static/media/Roboto-Regular.c5bf51b6.woff2)  (../../../../static/css/vendor~aje/containers/home-page~components/video-article/videoPageDispatcher~containers/amp-live-blo~5f903362.2e08e417.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/component~aje/containers/home-page~components/video-article/videoPageDispatcher~containers/amp-live-~41c72a2c.6aa6af66.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/component~aje/containers/home-page~components/video-article/videoPageDispatcher~containers/amp-live-~06be7c11.0625e98d.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/component~components/video-article/videoPageDispatcher~containers/amp-live-blog-container~containers~4f526fb6.74ee3c47.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/common~493df0b3.ec3ab9b5.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/pages/article-page~6e6dca10.b625c9d1.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/common~493df0b3.ec3ab9b5.r2.chunk.css)   Skip links (two-syrian-security-officers-killed-in-raid-on-isil-cell-near-damascus@traffic_source=rss.html#main-content-area) Skip to Content  (https://www.aljazeera.com/)          (https://www.aljazeera.com/video/live) play    Live    Sign up  Show navigation menu     Navigation menu (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/) News    Show more news sections  (https://www.aljazeera.com/middle-east/) Middle East   (https://www.aljazeera.com/africa/) Africa   (https://www.aljazeera.com/asia/) Asia   (https://www.aljazeera.com/us-canada/) US & Canada   (https://www.aljazeera.com/latin-america/) Latin America   (https://www.aljazeera.com/europe/) Europe   (https://www.aljazeera.com/asia-pacific/) Asia Pacific      (https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/explainer/) Explained   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sports) Sport   (https://www.aljazeera.com/opinion/) Opinion   (https://www.aljazeera.com/videos/) Video   (https://www.aljazeera.com/interactives/) Interactives   More   Show more sections  (https://www.aljazeera.com/aljazeera-originals) Originals   (https://www.aljazeera.com/features/) Features   (https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/) Economy   (https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/human-rights/) Human Rights   (https://www.aljazeera.com/climate-crisis) Climate Crisis   (https://www.aljazeera.com/investigations/) Investigations   (https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/) In Pictures   (https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/science-and-technology/) Science & Technology   (https://www.aljazeera.com/audio/podcasts) Podcasts   (https://www.aljazeera.com/travel) Travel   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sponsored/) Sponsored Content        (https://www.aljazeera.com/video/live) play    Live    Click here to search search     Sign up        Navigation menu caret-left    (https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/syria-s-war/) Syria's War   (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2025/12/8/live-syria-marks-one-year-since-fall-of-bashar-al-assad) Live: A year since fall of al-Assad   (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/12/7/hope-flags-fireworks-as-syria-starts-to-celebrate-a-year-without-al-assad) Hope and celebration in Syria   (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/12/8/how-many-syrians-have-returned-home-one-year-since-the-fall-of-al-assad) How many Syrians have returned?   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Listen   Listen (2 mins)       Save       Share Two Syrian security officers killed in raid on ISIL cell near Damascus on social media share-nodes    Share (https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Faje.news%2Fi13nn8) facebook      (https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Two%20Syrian%20security%20officers%20killed%20in%20raid%20on%20ISIL%20cell%20near%20Damascus&source=sharethiscom&related=sharethis&via=AJEnglish&url=https%3A%2F%2Faje.news%2Fi13nn8) x    (whatsapp://send?text=https%3A%2F%2Faje.news%2Fi13nn8) whatsapp-stroke    (https://aje.news/i13nn8)  copylink          google       Add Al Jazeera on Google  info      (Syrian security forces have reported several plots by ISIL cells since Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa joined the global military coalition against the group in November)   Syrian security forces have reported several plots by ISIL cells since Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa joined the global military coalition against the group in November [File: Firas Makdesi/Reuters]   (https://www.aljazeera.com/author/al_jazeera_staff_150119130629458)     By  (https://www.aljazeera.com/author/al_jazeera_staff_150119130629458) Al Jazeera Staff    Published On 22 Oct 2026 22 Oct 2026    Two members of Syria’s internal security forces have been killed and five wounded in clashes with a suspected ISIL (ISIS) cell during a raid on the outskirts of Damascus, the Interior Ministry reported. The fighting began on Thursday morning, when security forces launched an operation against the cell in the town of Rankous in the western Damascus countryside. The operation is the latest in a series of raids as the government tries to dismantle ISIL networks and prevent attacks. Recommended Stories list of 3 items list 1 of 3 (https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2026/10/17/israeli-raids-and-arrests-in-southern-syria-push-population-to-the-brink) Israeli raids and arrests in southern Syria push population to the brink  list 2 of 3 (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/22/israeli-forces-kill-disabled-man-in-southern-syria-raid-state-media-says) Israeli forces kill disabled man in southern Syria raid, state media says  list 3 of 3 (https://www.aljazeera.com/video/talk-to-al-jazeera/2026/10/22/us-ambassador-to-turkiye-rethinking-us-role-in-the-middle-east) US ambassador to Turkiye: Rethinking US role in the Middle East   end of list  The ministry said the suspects refused to surrender and opened fire, triggering the clashes. Five alleged ISIL members were killed and six arrested, and weapons and explosive belts were seized. Al Jazeera’s Heidi Pett, reporting from Syria, said residents told her the clashes began around 6am (03:00 GMT) and lasted two to three hours. Some of the wounded security personnel were seriously hurt, she said. Residents said the group was about nine people – smaller than what officials reported – with two members killed, another two escaping, and an unknown number injured. Residents told the local outlet Syria Now that security forces imposed a curfew and arrested several people. Series of operations The ministry also reportedly foiled an ISIL plot in the Damascus countryside and dismantled an ISIL cell in the Houla area of Homs earlier this month. The plots involved attacking places of worship and security patrols, according to Syria Now. On October 6, the ministry announced the arrest of Khaled Raed Birouni, also known as Abu Hassan Dushka, in the town of Hujaira in the Damascus countryside. Authorities say he was the group’s top military commander for Homs. Advertisement    They accused him of planning several attacks there, including the (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/12/26/explosion-at-mosque-in-syrias-homs-kills-three-report) December 2025 bombing of a mosque in the city’s Wadi al-Dhahab neighbourhood during Friday prayers, which killed eight people and wounded 18, according to Syria’s Health Ministry. ISIL has repeatedly attacked Syrian security forces, usually targeting buses and vehicles carrying personnel, Pett said, along with a few attacks on civilians. Syria joined the 90-member international coalition against ISIL in November, six years after Syrian Kurdish-led forces led the territorial defeat of ISIL strongholds in the country’s northeast.            aj-logo             aj-logo             aj-logo       Advertisement          About About   Show more  (https://www.aljazeera.com/about-us) About Us   (https://www.aljazeera.com/code-of-ethics/) Code of Ethics   (https://www.aljazeera.com/terms-and-conditions/) Terms and Conditions   (https://www.aljazeera.com/eu-eea-regulatory/) EU/EEA Regulatory Notice   (https://privacy.aljazeera.net/) Privacy Policy   (https://privacy.aljazeera.net/cookie/) Cookie Policy   (https://www.aljazeera.com/) Cookie Preferences    (https://trust.aljazeera.net/accessibility/) Accessibility Statement   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sitemap) Sitemap   (https://careers.aljazeera.net/) Work for us      Connect Connect   Show more  (https://network.aljazeera.net/en/contact?tid=6) Contact Us   (https://www.aljazeera.com/user-accounts-help) User Accounts Help   (https://commercial.aljazeera.net/) Advertise with us   (https://www.aljazeera.com/stay-connected) Stay Connected   (https://www.aljazeera.com/newsletters) Newsletters   (https://sat.aljazeera.net/en) Channel Finder   (https://www.aljazeera.com/schedule/) TV Schedule   (https://www.aljazeera.com/podcasts/) Podcasts   (https://webapps.aljazeera.net/aje/tips/) Submit a Tip   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sponsored) Paid Partner Content      Our Channels Our Channels   Show more  (http://aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Arabic   (https://www.aljazeera.com/) Al Jazeera English   (https://www.ajiunit.com/) Al Jazeera Investigative Unit   (https://www.aljazeeramubasher.net/) Al Jazeera Mubasher   (http://doc.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Documentary   (http://balkans.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Balkans   (http://ajplus.net/) AJ+      Our Network Our Network   Show more  (http://studies.aljazeera.net/en/) Al Jazeera Centre for Studies   (http://training.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Media Institute   (http://learning.aljazeera.net/) Learn Arabic   (http://liberties.aljazeera.com/en) Al Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human Rights   (http://forum.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Forum   (https://hotels.aljazeera.net/en) Al Jazeera Hotel Partners        Follow Al Jazeera English: (https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera) facebook       (https://twitter.com/ajenglish) twitter     (https://www.youtube.com/aljazeeraenglish) youtube     (https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/?hl=en) instagram-colored-outline                          (https://www.aljazeera.com/xml/rss/all.xml) rss     (https://bsky.app/profile/aljazeera.com) bluesky     (https://www.tiktok.com/@aljazeeraenglish) tiktok-colored-outline                  (Al Jazeera Media Network logo)   © 2026 Al Jazeera Media Network