"Loryan Le Jour": Two assassination attempts on Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa.. ISIS suspected of involvement
The Lebanese-French newspaper "L'Orient-Le Jour" revealed that Syrian President Ahmed Al-Shar'a survived two assassination attempts since taking office last December, amid escalating security challenges facing the new Syrian leadership after the Assad era.
According to diplomatic sources cited by the newspaper, the first attempt took place in March, while the second occurred just two weeks ago, with jihadist groups, including ISIS, being accused of planning the attacks. The sources indicated that these groups aim to obstruct the ongoing political and security reforms in Damascus.
The sources also mentioned that the organization is recruiting defectors from "Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham," exploiting their opposition to President Al-Shar'a's decisions, especially those related to restructuring security agencies and disbanding extremists.
Meanwhile, US envoy to Syria Tom Barak expressed concern over the "growing security threats" against President Al-Shar'a, calling for the establishment of an "advanced protection system" to ensure his safety.
In an interview with "Al-Monitor," he stated: "Extremist groups, especially some jihadist factions, see the reformist direction of the Syrian government as a direct threat to their agendas."
He added that "integrating former foreign fighters into the Syrian National Army constitutes a potential target," which groups like ISIS could exploit to carry out retaliatory operations.
Barak warned that "delaying economic support to Syria creates a vacuum that extremist groups exploit to sow chaos," making it harder for the government to stabilize and rebuild.
In his assessment of President Al-Shar'a's performance, the US envoy described him as "smart, confident, and determined to achieve real reforms," noting his efforts to promote a "moderate model of Islam" in politics and society. He also praised the recent decisions of the Al-Shar'a government in Idlib, such as "abolishing the morality police, easing dress restrictions, and opening up to religious minorities."
