Syria says it foiled planned rocket attack in Damascus, arrests cell members Photo

Syria’s Interior Ministry said on February 10 that security forces had foiled a planned attack in the Mezzeh district of Damascus and arrested remaining members of a terrorist cell accused of preparing assaults in densely populated areas of the capital.

In a statement published on its Telegram channel, the ministry said the operation was conducted by Interior Ministry units in coordination with the General Intelligence Directorate as part of ongoing security operations in the Damascus countryside, Caliber.Az reports per SANA. 

According to the statement, the cell was linked to earlier rocket attacks targeting the Mezzeh area and a nearby military airport. Security forces detained the suspects while they were attempting to install Grad-type rocket launchers intended for use against civilian areas.

The ministry said the operation resulted in the seizure of rocket launch platforms before they could be deployed. Preliminary investigations indicated that the suspects had been planning further attacks and were in contact with external groups.

All confiscated equipment was seized, and those arrested were referred to judicial authorities for further investigation, the statement said.

On February 1, the Interior Ministry had announced the arrest of other members of the same cell following weeks of surveillance and tracking of rocket launch sites in the Daraya and Kafr Souseh districts of Damascus.

At that time, the ministry said initial investigations showed the cell had links to external parties and that the rockets, launch platforms and drones used in the attacks originated from Lebanon’s Hezbollah militia.

By Sabina Mammadli