A Syrian security officer has died in a shootout with an armed group that includes former bodyguards of Iraq's ex-leader Saddam Hussein, reports say. The clash erupted early in the morning on Mount Qassioun, which overlooks Damascus, the Sana news agency reports. Two members of the group are said to have been arrested in the fighting, in which four policemen were also hurt. According to the official Sana agency, two Syrian security personnel and a militant were killed in a gunfight along the Lebanese border on Sunday. Last month, Syria said it killed two militants and foiled a bombing plot after a raid on a house in Damascus. A Syrian security official has been quoted as saying that Monday's clash took place with a "group of people wanted for terrorist crimes... some of whom were former bodyguards of Saddam Hussein". It is not known if any of those arrested had served the former Iraqi leader.
A Syrian official quoted by Sana identified one captured militant as a Jordanian citizen, Ayed al-Semadi. Police also reportedly arrested his wife's brother, who is said to have been on the run. Security officials are continuing their operation against the militant group, the official said. He said the militants - who are also suspected of armed robbery - had been under surveillance for some time. Mount Qassioun offers scenic views over Damascus and is favoured as a picnic spot by city dwellers. |