Syrian ISIS official arrested in Lebanon, ISF says

BEIRUT — Lebanon's Internal Security Forces (ISF) announced on Monday that they arrested a Syrian Islamic State group (ISIS) official in Lebanon two weeks ago. According to the ISF, the suspect oversaw the group's security activities and operations in Syria's southern and central governorates ("wilayas"), in coordination with other regional officials from the group.

As part of preventive security operations aimed at tracking members of terrorist organizations, the ISF said in a statement that their Intelligence Branch arrested a Syrian national on June 30, identified by the initials H.R. and born in 1994. According to the investigation, "the suspect was currently serving as the head of general security for the 'southern wilayas' and 'central wilayas' in Syria, under ISIS," the statement said.

Contacted by L'Orient-Le Jour, an ISF source only confirmed that the arrest took place in Lebanon, without providing further details.

According to the ISF, the preliminary investigation found that that H.R. had risen through the ranks of the organization before taking charge of the security apparatus for the two "wilayas." He was responsible for "supervising ISIS security activities and operations in these areas, in coordination with the leaders and emirs of other 'wilayas' of the organization in Syria," the statement concluded.