DAMASCUS, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Syrian authorities said Thursday they have arrested all members of a cell linked to the Islamic State (IS) group that they say were responsible for this week's bombing in Damascus, following coordinated security operations in the capital and surrounding countryside.
Brig. Gen. Ahmad al-Dalati, commander of the Internal Security Directorate in Rural Damascus, said the arrests came after investigators, working in coordination with the General Intelligence Service, reviewed surveillance camera footage and other evidence collected from the scene of the attack.
"We were able to identify one member of the cell responsible for the bombing, and through monitoring him, we reached the remaining members of the group," al-Dalati told the state-run Al-Ikhbariya TV.
According to al-Dalati, security forces conducted simultaneous raids in several areas of Damascus and its rural areas, including al-Husseiniya in the southern countryside and Ash al-Warwar, resulting in the arrest of all members of the cell allegedly involved in the bombing.
Preliminary investigations showed that the suspects belonged to the Islamic State group, he said, without providing further details on the number of detainees or the identities of those arrested.
The official said the Interior Ministry would continue efforts to preserve the country's security and stability, warning that authorities would deal firmly with anyone seeking to undermine stability or obstruct reconstruction efforts.
Two explosions struck the vicinity of the building of Syria's Tourism Ministry Tuesday during the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron. The blasts killed one person and injured several others, most of them Interior Ministry personnel, while Macron's motorcade was about 10 kilometers away from the scene.
The attack came as Syria had stepped up security measures in recent months amid concerns over attempts by Islamic State sleeper cells to stage attacks while the country seeks to restore stability and attract international investment following years of conflict. ■
