Syrian government troops have launched a major military operation against foreign jihadist fighters in the northwestern province of Idlib, focusing on a group of militants from France, according to regional reports.
The operation comes as Damascus labels several factions that once supported the overthrow of former president Bashar al-Assad as “new security threats”.
Fierce clashes reportedly broke out overnight in the city of Harem when government forces stormed what is known as the “French camp,” run by foreign extremists led by Omar Omsen, a French national of Senegalese descent. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said casualties were reported on both sides, with at least two militants taken into custody.
The Syrian General Security Service said its objective was to capture Omsen and restore control in the area. In response, a Telegram channel linked to the jihadists accused the government of coordinating with the US and other international partners to eradicate foreign fighters, while Omsen allegedly threatened further violence.
⚡️🇸🇾🇫🇷 | Les combattants de la Sécurité générale sont clairement visibles à proximité du camp des Français.
Les djihadistes français ont affirmé leur intention de se défendre, déclarant que le public sera témoin de “la trahison d’al-Jolani” envers ses propres combattants.
Il… https://t.co/Va8CVwUEPz pic.twitter.com/TeMioj0Ar3
— Syria News (@SyriaNewsFr) October 21, 2025
The interim government of President Ahmed al-Sharaa, which came to power last November with the help of some of these militant groups, is now facing attacks from its former allies. Reports indicate that the French-led faction has been particularly hostile since al-Sharaa’s meeting with US President Donald Trump, which led to the lifting of sanctions on Syria.
French media previously estimated that about 200 French nationals, including jihadists and their families, sought refuge in Idlib after the fall of Islamic State in 2019, many of whom remain active in the region.
