Terror returns? Damascus church bombing sparks Lebanese probe into ISIS ties

Report by Lara El Hachem, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian

All signs — from Syria to Lebanon — suggest that terrorist cells remain active.

In Damascus, a terrorist group bombed Saint Elias church. The Syrian government blamed ISIS for the attack, while a group calling itself Saraya Ansar al-Sunna claimed responsibility.

In Beirut, the Lebanese army announced the arrest of one of ISIS’ top commanders, Lebanese national R.F., known by the alias “Qasoura.”

Is there a connection between the church bombing in Syria and Qasoura’s arrest?

According to security sources, Qasoura had been under surveillance for months, and the army has never ceased its preemptive intelligence efforts to track and prevent sleeper cells from operating.

While the Damascus bombing has not triggered any direct repercussions in Lebanon, sources consider it a warning sign — prompting continued security coordination between Lebanon and Syria.

LBCI has learned that Lebanon has requested Syria to provide the identities of those arrested in connection with the recent church bombing. 

Authorities want to determine whether any are Lebanese, have criminal records in Lebanon, or are linked to extremist groups operating locally. They also raised the possibility of further joint security cooperation once the investigation concludes.

Meanwhile, Lebanese-Syrian security meetings continue, especially following Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s recent talks in Syria. 

One primary objective of these meetings is to report any security breaches along the intertwined northern and eastern borders, where both countries share critical security interests.

Lebanon's Army Commander, General Rodolph Haykal, visited Lebanese military positions in the Bekaa region two days ago to inspect ongoing efforts to maintain border control on the Lebanese side.