Syria Faces Heightened Terrorism Threats: Islamic State Plot on Churches Foiled, SDF Attacks Disrupt Aleppo Airport
Damascus, Syria – Syrian authorities have reported thwarting a high-severity plot by the Islamic State (IS) group to target churches during New Year's Eve celebrations, even as separate attacks attributed to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) prompted the suspension of flights at Aleppo International Airport. These incidents underscore ongoing security challenges in the war-torn country as of early January 2026.
The IS plot was disclosed by Syrian officials on January 2, 2026, highlighting the group's continued efforts to exploit religious and festive gatherings for attacks. According to reports, the planned strikes aimed at churches during New Year's Eve festivities – observed on December 31, 2025 – were disrupted before execution, preventing potential mass casualties. The severity of the threat was rated as "HIGH" by monitoring sources, reflecting IS's persistent low-level insurgency in Syria despite territorial losses years earlier.
In a related escalation, Aleppo airport suspended all flights for 24 hours starting January 6, 2026, following attacks by the SDF, which Syrian and Turkish-aligned sources designate as a terrorist group. The Syrian aviation authority announced that incoming flights would be diverted to Damascus International Airport. Anadolu Agency reported the disruption, citing security concerns after the assaults, which damaged infrastructure and halted operations amid broader regional tensions.
Details of the Incidents
The IS plot represents a targeted effort by the extremist group to revive its campaign of sectarian violence. Syria's Christian minority, estimated at around 1-2% of the population pre-war but significantly reduced due to displacement, has long been a symbolic target for IS propaganda. The group's caliphate was territorially defeated in 2019 through a U.S.-led coalition effort, primarily involving SDF ground forces, but IS remnants have since shifted to guerrilla tactics, including bombings and assassinations in Syria's eastern deserts and Badia region.
Syrian state media and security reports indicated that intelligence operations, likely involving the Syrian Arab Army and allied militias, intercepted the plot in its planning stages. No specific arrests or operational details were released publicly, but the timing – just after New Year's – amplified public alerts nationwide.
Concurrently, the SDF attacks on Aleppo airport occurred against a backdrop of entrenched conflict between the Kurdish-led group and Syrian government forces backed by Russia and Iran. Aleppo, Syria's second-largest city, has been a flashpoint since rebels captured it in 2012 before government reconquest in 2016. The SDF, controlling much of northeastern Syria including oil-rich areas, has clashed repeatedly with Turkish-backed proxies and Damascus forces. Turkey views the SDF as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), listed as a terrorist organization by the U.S., EU, and Turkey, though the SDF itself receives U.S. military support for counter-IS operations.
The airport suspension was a direct response to the strikes, with the aviation authority emphasizing passenger safety. "Flights halted for 24 hours, will be diverted to Damascus airport," the authority stated, per Anadolu Agency. No casualties were reported from the airport incident, but it disrupted commercial and humanitarian air traffic in a region already strained by economic sanctions and reconstruction delays.
Background and Context
Syria's civil war, now in its 15th year since 2011, has killed over 500,000 people and displaced millions, creating fertile ground for terrorism. The Assad government controls most population centers, but IS sleeper cells operate in Deir ez-Zor and rural areas, launching sporadic attacks. A United Nations report from late 2025 noted over 100 IS-linked incidents in Syria that year, including ambushes on security convoys.
The SDF, formed in 2015, played a pivotal role in dismantling IS's territorial hold but faces accusations of authoritarianism and resource extraction from Damascus. Turkish incursions, such as Operation Olive Branch in 2018, have redrawn frontlines around Aleppo. Recent Turkish-Syrian normalization talks, brokered by Russia and Iran, have stalled over SDF presence, exacerbating frictions.
These events coincide with fragile ceasefires and U.S. troop drawdowns in eastern Syria, where about 900 American forces remain to prevent IS resurgence. International monitors, including the Global Terrorism Database, track both IS and SDF-linked violence, though designations vary: IS is universally proscribed, while SDF actions are contentious.
Outlook
Syrian authorities have ramped up security measures, including heightened patrols around religious sites and airports. The airport closure in Aleppo is set to lift after 24 hours, but analysts anticipate prolonged disruptions if SDF-government clashes intensify. With IS plotting high-profile attacks, Damascus faces dual threats from jihadists and separatist forces.
International responses have been muted so far, with the U.S. State Department urging de-escalation without commenting on the IS plot. The European Union expressed concern over civilian risks, calling for dialogue. As Syria navigates these terrorism pressures, stability remains elusive amid geopolitical rivalries.
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