Khaberni - Two senior officials said that Syria thwarted two separate ISIS conspiracies to assassinate President Ahmad al-Shar'a, according to what "Reuters" reported today (Monday).
This comes as Syria prepares to join a coalition led by the United States to fight the terrorist organization.
The two sources, a Middle Eastern official and a Syrian security official, added that the two plots targeting Al-Shar'a had been thwarted in the past few months, confirming the direct threat faced by the Syrian president as he seeks to consolidate his power in a country torn by a 14-year civil war.
The sources said one of the ISIS plots focused on an officially announced engagement of Al-Shar'a, and they declined to provide more details due to the sensitivity of the matter.
The revelation of the conspiracies comes before a forthcoming meeting between Al-Shar'a and US President Donald Trump at the White House today, marking a pivotal year for Al-Shar'a in which he made efforts to end Syria's international isolation.
This year marked a pivotal shift for the Syrian president during the transitional phase, where Al-Shar'a was until recently the leader of a group of armed opposition but led the overthrow of Bashar Assad, who had ruled the country for a long time, at the end of last year.
Trump is set to host Al-Shar'a in the first-ever visit by a Syrian president to the White House, six months after their first meeting in Saudi Arabia.
In recent days, the Syrian Interior Ministry launched a security campaign against ISIS, announcing yesterday (Sunday) that it had arrested a number of suspects and seized weapons and ammunition depots in security operations targeting the organization in several provinces.
The Syrian Interior Ministry confirmed via X platform that it had precisely monitored the activities of ISIS cells and identified their locations.
The ministry's statement added that its forces, in cooperation with the General Intelligence Directorate, managed to arrest suspects and seize ammunition and weapons, emphasizing the continuation of "tracking all terrorist movements to enhance security, stability, and the safety of citizens."
Al-Shar'a (42 years old) took the reins in Syria at the end of last year after groups from the opposition he led launched a sudden attack from a pocket they controlled in northwestern Syria and managed to overthrow Assad on December 8.
Security is likely to top the agenda of the forthcoming Monday meeting between Al-Shar'a and Trump.
The United States mediates talks between Syria and Israel regarding a possible security agreement. Reuters reported that the United States plans to establish a military presence at an air base in Damascus.
Syria is also scheduled to join the coalition led by the United States against ISIS, and this could officially be announced in today's White House meeting.
According to several Syrian officials, the Al-Shar'a government has already been coordinating with the US military in the fight against the organization for months, but the formal join to the anti-organization coalition is expected to significantly enhance this cooperation.
The joining is also seen as an important step for Al-Shar'a in building trust to persuade US Congress members to lift the remaining sanctions on Syria before the end of this year.
Moreover, Syrian President Ahmad Al-Shar'a said yesterday that Syria has made significant achievements over 11 months after being completely isolated.
Al-Shar'a added in statements he made during his meeting with the Syrian community in Washington that Syria is "a strong linkage hub and hence it was a historic target and we will restore it to its natural status."
He emphasized that the greatest capital of Syria is the unity of the Syrian people inside, saying "it’s not necessary that we fully agree, but that we unite."
The Syrian president said he is proud of his history and is not ashamed of any historical phase he has gone through. He added, "We set a strategy before starting the battle of liberation and planned for projects to build Syria even though it was not under our control and all our steps were deliberate and successful."
On the political front, Al-Shar'a said that Israel must return to the borders prior to December 8.
He confirmed that his country aims to achieve stability on the southern front, pointing out that integrating the Syrian Democratic Forces "SDF" into the state institutions is the natural way out.
The Syrian president noted that local parties in Sweida allied with drug traffickers and what he described as remnants.
Al-Shar'a said his government wants to attract American investments to Syria.
