DAMASCUS — Syrian authorities said on Sunday they had arrested two alleged members of the Daesh terrorist group in the east of the country, blaming them for targeted killings including that of a defence ministry official, Arab News reported. In a statement, the internal security forces announced the arrest of “two individuals following close intelligence surveillance” in Deir Ezzor governorate.

Source: Arab News, Nov 1

The two are accused of “carrying out a series of assassinations in the governorate, the latest of which was targeting Ministry of Defense member Ibrahim Al-Jassem” in the city of Mayadin, the statement said, as reported by Arab News. Kurdistan24 reported that the operation was conducted in coordination with the General Intelligence Directorate, and that weapons and ammunition were seized from a hideout allegedly used by the cell.

Source: Kurdistan24, Nov 1

2Alleged Daesh members arrested in Deir Ezzor, the internal security forces said
~3,000Estimated Daesh fighters in Syria, in a report presented to the UN Security Council in July (via Kurdistan24)
14 a monthAverage Daesh events in Syria in the first seven months of 2026, down from 29 a month in 2025, according to ACLED (via Kurdistan24)

A continuing campaign against sleeper cells

Since coming to power in late 2024 after toppling Bashar Assad, Syria's new authorities have announced regular arrests of suspected members of Daesh and affiliated cells, Arab News reported, adding that there have been several thwarted attacks against Syrian officials, including President Ahmed Al-Sharaa. The authorities said investigations are continuing to establish the two suspects' connections and to prepare their cases for judicial proceedings, Kurdistan24 reported.

Source: Arab News / Kurdistan24, Nov 1

The arrests come even as the group's activity has been falling: an analysis by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED) project said Daesh activity in Syria declined in 2026, averaging around 14 events a month during the first seven months of the year, compared with an average of 29 a month in 2025, Kurdistan24 reported.

What is solid

  • Syria's internal security forces announced the arrest of two individuals in Deir Ezzor after intelligence surveillance, in a statement reported by both Arab News and Kurdistan24
  • Both outlets report the accusation: a series of assassinations in the governorate, the latest targeting Defence Ministry member Ibrahim Al-Jassem in Mayadin
  • Kurdistan24 reported weapons and ammunition were seized from a hideout and that investigations are continuing

What is only claimed

  • The suspects' alleged roles — the charges rest on the authorities' statement and have not been tested in court; the suspects were not named in the reports
  • The size of the remaining Daesh network — the roughly 3,000-fighter figure is a July estimate presented to the UN Security Council, while ACLED data point to falling activity in 2026
What happens next

Syrian authorities say investigations are continuing to establish the suspects' connections, after which their cases are to be prepared for judicial proceedings. No court date has been announced.

The Deir Ezzor arrests follow an October raid on a suspected Daesh cell near Damascus in which two Syrian security officers were killed, part of the same campaign against sleeper cells. Read: Two Syrian security officers killed in raid on ISIL cell near Damascus