News|ISIL/ISISSyria says key ISIL leader Taha al-Zoubi captured near DamascusSyrian officials confirm the arrest of ISIL leader Taha al-Zoubi in a security operation near Damascus.

The Ministry of Interior of Syria has announced the capture of Taha al-Zoubi, a significant figure within the ISIL (ISIS) group, following a security operation in the Damascus countryside, as reported by the country's SANA news agency.

A meticulously executed security operation led to the arrest of al-Zoubi, during which a suicide belt and a military weapon were confiscated. Brigadier General Ahmad al-Dalati, head of internal security in the Damascus countryside, stated that the raid targeted an ISIL hideout in Maadamiya, southwest of Damascus, with cooperation from an anti-ISIL alliance that includes the United States-led coalition.

Al-Dalati confirmed that al-Zoubi, also known as Abu Omar Tibiya, was the group's "wali," or governor, of Damascus, and several alleged aides were also apprehended. The operation is considered a significant disruption to ISIL networks in the capital region and demonstrates the preparedness of the security forces.

The official emphasized, "We send a clear message to anyone who dares to engage in the project of terrorism or lend support to ISIS: The hand of justice will reach them wherever they are."

ISIL, which opposes the current government in Damascus, has primarily focused its activities against Kurdish forces in the north. At its height, ISIL controlled an area equivalent to half the size of the United Kingdom, extending across Iraq and Syria, with Raqqa serving as the capital of its self-declared "caliphate."

The group gained notoriety for its extreme acts of violence, including massacres of Syrians and Iraqis and the beheadings of foreign captives. ISIL was defeated in Iraq in 2017 and in Syria in 2019, but its members continue to carry out lethal attacks in both countries and other regions, including Africa and Afghanistan.

Based on reporting by Al Jazeera.