File image.
Local fighters in the southern Syrian governorate of Daraa have reportedly eliminated yet another senior commander of ISIS.
The terrorist, identified as Abu Louay al-Qalamouni, was reportedly traveling on a motorcycle with another man near the town of Tal Shihab in the western Daraa countryside on December 25 when he was surprised by a checkpoint manned by local fighters.
While al-Qalamouni was attempting to turn back he was shot by the fighters who found his movements suspicious. The terrorist sustained severe wounds and died a few hours later. His body was buried near Tal Shihab, in the town of Muzayrib.
Al-Qalamouni was reportedly the Hisbah Emir [Police Chief] of the ISIS-affiliated Khalid ibn al-Walid Army, which controlled the Yarmouk Valley in the western countryside of Daraa, up until the 2018 Syrian military operation and Russian-sponsored reconciliation agreement.
After the return of all Daraa and neighboring al-Quneitra to the control of the government, al-Qalamouni began working for ISIS directly as a security commander. He was behind many assassinations that took place in Daraa.
The elimination of al-Qalamouni was not the result of a planned counter-terrorism operation. Government forces were not apparently involved.
In the last few months, dozens of ISIS members and commanders in Dara were killed in joint operations by local fighters and government forces. The most notable counter-terrorism operation took place in the town of Jasim in mid-October. ISIS top leader Abu al-Hasan al-Hashimi al-Qurashi was killed in the operation along with other senior commander of the terrorist group.
Despite all recent operations, ISIS presence in Daraa, especially in the western countryside, is still strong. Attacks on local fighters and government forces in the governorate are being reported on a regular basis.
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