Five plots to kill Syrian president or ministers were foiled last year, says UN

The Guardian - World NewsEN 2 min read 100% complete by William ChristouFebruary 12, 2026 at 01:11 PM

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A UN report revealed that five assassination plots targeting Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and his ministers were foiled last year. The Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for two attempts on al-Sharaa's life, styling the former Islamist rebel leader as an apostate after he met with the US president. Since the fall of Assad in December 2024, IS has increased recruitment and aims to destabilize the new Syrian government by exploiting security gaps. The UN estimates IS has 3,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria, with al-Sharaa being their primary target in Syria. Damascus joined the anti-IS coalition in November and now controls al-Hawl camp, holding thousands of IS relatives, which analysts warn is a potential radicalization risk.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

United States 30% Daraa 30% Iraq 40% Assad ×340% Aleppo 40% Donald Trump ×250% Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah 60% Damascus ×470% UN ×270% Ahmed al-Sharaa ×790% Syria ×890% Islamic State ×995%

Keywords

islamic state 90% assassination plots 90% syria 80% un report 70% ahmed al-sharaa 70% destabilizing government 60% security vacuum 60% terrorism 50% recruitment 40% damascus 40%

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Negative

Score: -0.40

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Source

The Guardian - World News

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90%

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