The aftermath of the January 30 attack on Daraa-Damascus highway. Source: Syrian state TV.
On February 1, at least six police officers were wounded as a result of an attack in the southern Syrian governorate of Daraa.
According to Syrian state TV, the officers were conducting a patrol between the towns of Muzayrib and al-Yadudah in the western Daraa countryside when they were targeted with two improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Two of the officers sustained serious wounds.
This was the second such attack in less than a week. On January 30, at least 15 officers were wounded when a police shuttle bus was targeted on the strategic Daraa-Damascus highway with an IED as it was passing near the town of Khirbet Ghazaleh.
Back then, the Syrian Ministry of Interior said in a statement that seven of the wounded officers were in a “critical condition.” At least one died of his wounds on January 31.
No group has claimed responsibility for any of the attacks, yet. Nevertheless, ISIS remains the main suspect. In January, the terrorist group revealed in a report released by its official newspaper, al-Naba, that it declined to claim some of its past attacks in Syria’s southern region for “media and security” reasons.
ISIS cells in the southern region received several large blows in the last few months. Many of its top commanders were killed in counter-terrorism operations conducted by government forces and local fighters.
In mid-January, one of the terrorist group’s security commanders in the region, Muhammad Ali al-Shaghouri, was killed in a raid by Syrian security forces that took place in the town of al-Muzayrib in the western Daraa countryside.
The recent attacks against the police indicate that government forces and local forces should step up counter-terrorism efforts in Daraa and other parts of the southern region.
