US warns of possible attacks in Syria during a Muslim holiday

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DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — The U.S. warned of an increased possibility of attacks in Syria during the Eid el-Fitr holiday that marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Eid could begin in Syria on Sunday depending on the sighting of the new moon.

Syrian authorities said they have detained several militant cells over the past weeks that were allegedly planning to carry out attacks in parts of the country.

Since insurgent groups led by the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) removed President Bashar Assad from power in early December, the security situation has remained tense.

The U.S. State Department said in a travel warning that possible attacks could target embassies, international organizations and Syrian public institutions in the capital, Damascus.

The Islamic State group, which was largely defeated in Syria in 2019, still has sleeper cells that have claimed responsibility for attacks, mainly in the northeast that is controlled by U.S.-backed Kurdish-led fighters.