Security services foil Islamic State plots amid Syria’s shifting alliances and anti-terror operations.

DAMASCUS: Syrian authorities have foiled two separate Islamic State (IS) plots to assassinate President Ahmed al-Sharaa, senior Syrian and regional officials confirmed, in what they described as evidence of the direct and escalating threat the militant group poses to the country’s leadership.

The thwarted attempts come as Syria prepares for a historic shift in foreign policy—joining the US-led global coalition against Islamic State—just days before President Sharaa’s scheduled meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington.

IS Plots Foiled in Recent Months

According to a senior Syrian security official, both plots were discovered and neutralized over the past few months. One of the plans reportedly targeted a pre-announced official engagement involving the president, though authorities withheld details due to security concerns.

The official said the foiled attempts demonstrated how Islamic State operatives continue to pose a personal threat to Sharaa, despite significant counterterrorism gains since his rise to power last year.

The Syrian Information Ministry, while declining to discuss specific incidents, confirmed in a statement that IS “continues to pose a real security threat to Syria and the region” and that numerous terror plots had been disrupted in recent months.

“Syria affirms its commitment to protecting its people and continuing to fight terrorism in all its forms,” the ministry added.

Tensions Rise Ahead of Sharaa–Trump Meeting

The revelation comes as President Sharaa is set to make a landmark visit to the White House, marking the first meeting between a Syrian head of state and a US president.

Analysts say the timing of the foiled assassination attempts underscores IS’s efforts to destabilize Sharaa’s leadership just as Damascus seeks to re-establish international legitimacy and cooperation with Western powers.

Sharaa, who took power in December last year after ousting Bashar al-Assad, has presented himself as a moderate reformist, pledging to rebuild Syria and restore order after 14 years of devastating civil conflict.

Syria’s Shift from Moscow to Washington

Syria’s move to join the US-led anti-IS coalition marks a significant strategic pivot away from its former alliances with Russia and Iran, aligning instead with Western and Arab states pursuing a joint counterterrorism agenda.

Government insiders say the decision is part of Sharaa’s broader plan to secure economic support for Syria’s reconstruction and ease US sanctions through closer defense and intelligence cooperation.

IS Resurgence and Nationwide Crackdown

In recent weeks, Syria has intensified counterterror operations, with the Interior Ministry launching a nationwide campaign against Islamic State sleeper cells, arresting more than 70 suspects across the country.

Officials said the campaign was designed not only to disrupt IS networks but also to send a clear message that Syrian intelligence has penetrated the group’s ranks, making future attacks increasingly difficult.

Before becoming president, Sharaa led Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a faction once affiliated with al-Qaeda, but severed ties in 2016 and began a sustained military campaign against IS. His administration has since positioned itself as a key regional partner in the global fight against terrorism.

Security Cooperation with the United States

Reports suggest that Syrian forces have coordinated intelligence with US military officials for several months, but formal coalition membership is expected to deepen joint operations.

Western diplomats say the move could serve as a confidence-building measure to push US lawmakers toward lifting the remaining sanctions on Syria before year-end.

While a Reuters report last week suggested the US may soon establish a military presence at a Damascus airbase, Syrian state media dismissed the claim without elaboration, maintaining ambiguity over the scale of cooperation.

IS Seeks to Undermine Sharaa’s Reforms

Analysts warn that Islamic State continues to exploit sectarian tensions and economic instability to regain influence in Syria’s rural regions. The group has sought to portray Sharaa’s reconciliation policies and engagement with Western governments as betrayals of Islamic principles.

In June, a suicide bombing at a Damascus church killed 25 people — an attack the government blamed on IS, though the group did not claim responsibility.

Security experts believe the latest assassination plots reflect a renewed IS strategy to target leadership figures and derail Syria’s return to international legitimacy.