DAMASCUS: Syrian security forces killed the leader of an armed cell allegedly linked to remnants of former President Bashar Assad’s government during an operation in the eastern countryside of Tartous on Tuesday, the Interior Ministry said.

The Internal Security Forces identified the man as Yazan Abbas, who led a four-member cell accused of planning attacks and armed robberies targeting civilian property.

The operation was launched after the Counterterrorism Department identified the group and coordinated an ambush with security forces, according to the Interior Ministry.

The ensuing clashes left Abbas dead and another member of the cell wounded. Security forces also seized weapons and ammunition.

The Internal Security Forces said they were continuing “intensive search and pursuit operations” to arrest the remaining members of the group.

The operation came amid continuing efforts by the Syrian Arab Republic’s authorities to dismantle armed groups allegedly linked to the former Assad government, which was overthrown in December 2024.

On Oct. 30, Syrian authorities accused former regime loyalists of ambushing a customs patrol on the highway linking Homs and Tartous, killing one officer and wounding two others, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency.

In March, security forces arrested three suspects in Tartous accused of plotting attacks on security personnel and civilians. Authorities said one of the suspects had received training in manufacturing explosives and led a group linked to the former regime.

Syria’s coastal region has experienced recurring violence and security operations since Assad’s fall, including deadly clashes between government forces and former regime loyalists in March 2025.