A car explosion shook the city of Baniyas (on the Syrian Mediterranean coast between Tartus and Latakia) on Monday afternoon, October 27.

Enab Baladi’s correspondent in Tartus reported that the blast occurred in front of the city police station near the old bus terminal. Civil defense teams immediately responded to extinguish the fire caused by the explosion.

Tartus governorate said in a statement on its official accounts that the explosion resulted from an improvised explosive device attached to a police vehicle near the station, adding that investigations are ongoing to identify the perpetrators.

Security units launched the necessary investigations and evidence collection to determine who carried out the attack and to pursue them.

Local social media accounts circulated a short clip purportedly showing the arrest of one suspect. The video’s authenticity could not be verified.

On October 19, Syria’s Interior Ministry said that, based on precise information and extensive investigations, Internal Security leadership in Tartus governorate arrested Ali Flarah, whom it described as responsible for a “terrorist cell linked to remnants of the ousted regime.”

According to the ministry, he was involved in planning attacks targeting Internal Security personnel and Defense Ministry forces. Initial findings indicated that Flarah “planned terrorist acts in coordination with the criminal Ghiath Dalla, including recruiting elements hostile to the Syrian state.”

The ministry added that he was also implicated in grave abuses against civilians during his former work at the Palestine Branch, including kidnapping, extortion, and killing.

During a search operation, authorities found pre-stocked arms and ammunition caches in wooded areas around Draykish(Tartus countryside, western Syria), allegedly prepared for use against Internal Security and Defense Ministry sites.

The suspect was referred to the competent judicial authorities for further investigation and legal action. The Interior Ministry affirmed its commitment to safeguarding the country’s security and stability.

Baniyas occupies a strategic coastal position and hosts the Baniyas Port used for oil imports and exports. It is also home to the Baniyas Refinery, Syria’s largest oil refinery, which plays a central role in processing crude and supplying fuel to the domestic market.