Syria says foiled terror plot targeting Mar Elias church

The Syrian Ministry of Interior announced on Wednesday that it had thwarted a “terrorist operation” targeting the Mar Elias Church in the village of Al-Khraybat, located in the Safita district of Tartus countryside.

The operation was reportedly foiled by an elite unit from the Internal Security Forces’ Special Tasks Division.

According to Colonel Abdel Aal Mohamed Abdel Aal, head of Internal Security in Tartus, the operation was launched following “precise intelligence” that a group acting outside the law, allegedly tied to remnants of Daesh, had been surveilling the church intending to detonate explosive devices inside.

The security operation, which involved close monitoring and tracking, resulted in the arrest of two individuals from the cell as they were en route to carry out the attack. Authorities also seized an explosive device prepared for detonation, threatening documents, and a black flag bearing extremist symbols.

Colonel Abdel Aal stressed that Syria’s security agencies would not allow any group to destabilize the region or threaten its residents, affirming that “the hands of security forces will remain a strong shield against anyone who dares to compromise the safety of the homeland and its citizens.”

The incident comes amid a broader security campaign across Syria, where authorities have intensified operations to track down sleeper cells and outlaw groups as part of ongoing efforts to ensure national stability.