Syria: Raids and arrests campaign against foreign fighters

Sources in Syria revealed that a large-scale security campaign was launched Wednesday evening targeting foreign fighters in Idlib and Hama provinces in northwestern Syria.

This campaign is part of a coordinated operation by Syrian security forces against foreign armed factions.

According to the information, the campaign included simultaneous raids carried out by General Security units in various areas of Idlib and Hama, resulting in the arrest of a number of fighters of Arab nationalities, including Palestinians, Egyptians, and Tunisians, in addition to individuals of unidentified foreign nationalities, suspected of belonging to extremist organizations.

Sources confirmed that the security operation didn’t witness any armed clashes, but rather was limited to raids and direct arrests, indicating prior security and intelligence coordination that enabled the forces to carry out their operations with precision and speed.

Among the most prominent detainees during the campaign was Palestinian Shamel al Ghazi, a leader in the “Red Bands” faction affiliated with “Hay’at Tahrir al Sham”, that played a pivotal role in the “Deterrence of Aggression” battle against the forces of the former Assad regime.

Shamel al Ghazi, who hails from Gaza, is known for his participation in fighting in Libya and Egypt, and his subsequent joining of ISIS.

He also previously sparked controversy with his inflammatory speeches, especially during the violent events on the Syrian coast, where he appeared in video threatening civilians with murder and revenge.

The campaign comes after the meeting between Trump and al Sharaa.

This security campaign comes hours after a meeting between Syrian Interim President Ahmed al Sharaa and US President Donald Trump in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.

According to a White House statement, Trump called during the meeting for the withdrawal of all “foreign terrorist fighters” from Syrian territory, as part of broader understandings that included combating ISIS and joining the Abraham Accords with Israel.

Following the meeting, al Sharaa delivered a televised speech announcing the start of a new phase of reconstruction following the lifting of US sanctions on Syria.

He praised Arab and international support and the solidarity of Syrians inside and outside the country.

The Syrian transitional president said, “Syria belongs to all Syrians and will not be a platform for greed”.

At the end of his speech, al Sharaa affirmed that Syria, in its new era, won’t be an arena for settling international scores, nor will it be permitted to divide it or reproduce the previous regime.

He emphasized that the country will remain united and loyal to all who have supported it.

The issue of foreign fighters in Syria, particularly after the fall of the Assad regime, has become one of the most contentious and concerning issues in the international community.

The Foreign fighters are an influential element in the Syrian military landscape after the fall of the Assad regime.

According to Western estimates, their number ranges between 10,000 and 12,000, representing 10% to 20% of the total armed opposition forces by the end of 2024.

Although their numbers are not huge in comparison to their quantity, their danger lies in their extremist ideological background, in addition to their extensive combat experience, as most of them have fought in Syria for nearly a decade.

One of the most prominent groups that includes foreign fighters is the Turkestan Islamic Party, which is estimated to have approximately 3,000 fighters in Syria.

The group’s leader, Abdul Haq al Turkestani, is believed to still be residing in Afghanistan, according to a report issued by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Allegations of Terrorism on February 13, 2025.