Syria’s interior ministry announced it had foiled an attempt to smuggle drones and explosives to armed groups operating outside state control, including cells linked to the so-called Islamic State group and factions connected to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
In a statement, the ministry said a joint security operation was carried out in the Qudsaya area of the Damascus countryside by specialised units working with security forces from neighbouring Daraa province.
Ahmed al-Dalati, commander of internal security in the Rif Dimashq governorate, said five people were arrested on suspicion of smuggling weapons on behalf of “outlawed groups” in Suweida, SDF-controlled areas and cells linked to the Islamic State.
He said the operation followed “precise intelligence” about suspicious activity at a farm. Security forces moved to the site, imposed a cordon and carried out a raid.
According to the statement, officers seized FPV-type drones with their accessories, around 1.5 tonnes of TNT explosives and anti-personnel charges weighing about two kilogrammes each, which were allegedly prepared for use in suicide drones.
Al-Dalati said all seized items had been confiscated and the suspects referred to the relevant authorities for further investigation ahead of legal proceedings.
The announcement comes amid continued security operations by the Syrian authorities against Islamic State cells in recent months, according to official statements.
Since the ousting of former president Bashar al-Assad, armed groups described by Damascus as operating outside the law have spread in Suweida, some adopting separatist positions and rejecting integration into state institutions, despite what the government says are gains in restoring diplomatic and economic ties.
At the same time, the SDF has yet to fully implement an agreement reached with the government in Damascus in March to integrate into state institutions. Internal debates within the group have intensified, with some voices calling for decentralised or federal arrangements.
Syrian officials and allied figures accuse these groups of pursuing external agendas and seeking backing from hostile actors to undermine stability, weaken the state and fuel internal divisions, allegations that those groups have previously rejected.