Announcements of security deployments mostly in western Syria, with an emphasis on the minority regions. This weekly update is intended to provide base level data for more holistic research into the rebuilding of the security and governance structures of post-Assad Syria. Direct links to primary sources are provided throughout.
This week saw several smaller shooting events and killings in unusual locations, including southern Tartous, southern Latakia, and western Homs. There was also a vigilante killing and ISIS attack in Hama governorate.
Security forces conducted many arrest operations this week, targeting ISIS cells, drug networks, and regime era criminals. An ISIS cell was captured in rural Damascus, just one week after a similar IED-planting cell was caught in western Homs. Counter-narcotics units conducted at least seven drug operations across Syria, targeting both international traffickers and domestic dealers. Lastly, two rare regime-era arrest operations were carried out: an Iraqi citizen who had led regime-allied foreign fighters was caught inside Syria, and Syrian units conducted a successful raid in Lebanon capturing the notorious war criminal Mihrac Ural.