Deadly Explosion Targets Police Station in Eastern Syria, Killing at Least Three

Deadly Explosion Targets Police Station in Eastern Syria, Killing at Least Three

     A deadly blast has struck a police station in the eastern Syrian town of Al-Mayadeen, located in the Deir ez-Zor countryside, killing at least three people and injuring several others. The report, released by Syria’s state news agency SANA and citing a security source, did not provide further details about the nature of the explosion or those responsible.

     The attack occurred just one day after Syrian authorities announced a major security operation in Aleppo, where three ISIL (ISIS) fighters were killed and four others arrested. The operation, carried out by the General Security Department in coordination with the General Intelligence Directorate, targeted several ISIL sleeper cells operating in the region. According to the Ministry of Interior, one security officer was also killed during the raids.

     Interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who came to power in Damascus in December, has maintained a firm stance against ISIL. During the Syrian civil war, his forces fought against the group's self-declared caliphate. Al-Sharaa rose to power following a swift opposition offensive led by his armed group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which successfully ousted longtime President Bashar al-Assad. Notably, al-Sharaa severed ties with al-Qaeda in 2016.

     This latest bombing also comes months after Syrian authorities reported thwarting an ISIL bombing plot near the Sayeda Zeinab shrine, a key Shia Muslim pilgrimage site south of Damascus.

     Meanwhile, the geopolitical context has shifted significantly following a surprise announcement from U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this week. On Tuesday, Trump declared that the United States would lift sanctions on Syria—a move that has sparked global attention and given rise to cautious optimism among Syrians hoping for economic reintegration and much-needed foreign investment.

Source:

Al Jazeera. (2025, May 26). Deadly blast rocks police station in eastern Syria, killing three. Retrieved from https://www.aljazeera.com