A joint operation by Türkiye’s National Intelligence Service (MIT) and Syrian security forces has foiled a planned terrorist attack in Damascus, according to officials in both countries.

Türkiye’s special envoy for Syria, Nuh Yilmaz, said on Thursday that the plot was prevented through cooperation between the National Intelligence Organization and Syrian security units.

“Our National Intelligence Organization and Syrian security forces carried out a joint operation that prevented a major terrorist attack in Damascus,” Yilmaz said on X, thanking those involved in the operation.

He added that cooperation between Türkiye and Syria would continue to deepen across multiple areas.

Daesh-linked cell targeted

Earlier, Syria’s Syrian Interior Ministry said internal security forces in the Rif Dimashq Governorate dismantled a cell affiliated with the Daesh terrorist organisation that had been planning a sabotage attack targeting the capital Damascus.

The ministry said the operation followed an extended intelligence surveillance effort in which security agencies monitored the suspects’ movements and tracked their activities before pinpointing their location.

Authorities then carried out a coordinated raid in cooperation with Syria’s General Intelligence Directorate and in close coordination with Turkish intelligence, leading to the arrest of all members of the cell.

Car bomb discovered

During the operation, specialised engineering teams discovered and safely handled a car bomb parked at a sensitive site in Damascus.

The vehicle had been rigged for remote detonation and contained large quantities of explosives, including TNT and C4, according to the ministry.

Officials said the bomb was neutralised without casualties.

The operation underscores growing security cooperation between Ankara and Damascus, as both sides intensify efforts to counter extremist networks operating in Syria.