An  Internal Security Commander Killed by Unknown  Gunmen East of Deir Ezzor

An Internal Security (ISS) commander named Rateb Hashem al-Otaiwi was shot  dead by unknown assailants in the town of al-Baghouz, east of Deir Ezzor, on Wednesday (May 27th), local sources said.

The sources told "Syrian News" that Al-Otaiwi  is the diplomatic security official of the Syrian government  and a member of the Internal Security Forces in the Deir Ezzor area, according to sources.

The circumstances of the incident or the exact identity of the attackers have not yet been clarified, while the official authorities have not issued any official statement about it at the time of writing.

Sources point to the involvement of the "Islamic State"

A video showed the moment two unidentified men on a motorcycle shot security leader Rateb Hashem al-Otaiwi, killing him immediately after Eid al-Adha prayers.

Activists said that security indicators and analyses indicate that cells affiliated with the "Islamic State" are  behind the operation, as the organization has been intensively active recently in the countryside of Deir Ezzor through lightning assassinations

Later, local sources reported that the security forces were able to arrest one of those involved in the assassination, without giving further details.

Death of a military commander in Deir Ezzor

Commander Ahmed al-Sami al-Hassoun, known as "Abu al-Baraa with a disk", died on May 26, 2026, as a result of a horrific traffic accident that occurred near the roundabout of Deir Ezzor military airport, according to local sources.

The sources said that the accident occurred at the gate or roundabout of Deir Ezzor airport, and the collision resulted in his death directly, while reports indicate that his child and another member who were with him in the car were injured.

The sources explained that the commander "Abu al-Baraa" hails from the town of Badis, located in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor , and is one of the military commanders of the 66th Division (some sources mention the 86th Division) of the Ministry of Defense.