Syria's Interior Ministry said on Monday that one of its security personnel had been killed as its forces thwarted an attack by two Islamic State terrorists on a command headquarters of the country's internal security forces in the city of Raqqa.

According to a ministry statement, two suicide attackers attempted to storm the facility. Security personnel engaged the pair, neutralizing one of them, while the second detonated an explosive vest after being surrounded.

Three security personnel were also wounded in the attack, the statement added.

Earlier, the Syrian state news agency had cited the Interior Ministry's spokesperson as saying that preliminary information indicated at least two ministry personnel were killed in a suicide attack on a ministry camp in Raqqa.

Islamic State declared a new phase of operations against the government

In February, the Islamic State declared a new phase of operations against the government of President Ahmed al-Sharaa and has since carried out a spate of attacks, including one that killed four Syrian security personnel near Raqqa.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa attends the Ministry of Awqaf conference titled ''Unity of Islamic Discourse'' at the Conference Palace in Damascus, Syria, February 16, 2026.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa attends the Ministry of Awqaf conference titled ''Unity of Islamic Discourse'' at the Conference Palace in Damascus, Syria, February 16, 2026. (credit: REUTERS/KHALIL ASHAWI/FILE PHOTO)

Last year, Sharaa's government joined the US-led coalition fighting Islamic State.

Sharaa himself fought the Islamic State when he was the leader of the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front during Syria's civil war. He severed ties with al Qaeda in 2016.

At the peak of its power during the Syrian civil war a decade ago, Islamic State controlled around a quarter or more of Syria, before being driven out of the territory by a US-led coalition and other foes.