Syria conducts preventative actions against cells of the Islamic State

Syria has conducted preemptive nationwide operations against Islamic State cells, an Interior Ministry spokeswoman said Saturday.

In 61 operations, Syrian security forces arrested 71 persons and recovered weapons and explosives, the spokesperson informed state-run Al Ekhbariya TV.

Before Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa travels to Washington to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump and join a coalition led by the United States against Islamic State, the raids are taking place.

Requests for response from the Pentagon and the U.S. State Department were not immediately answered.

In order to facilitate a security agreement between Syria and Israel that the United States is mediating, Washington is getting ready to set up a military presence at an airbase in Damascus, six people with knowledge of the situation previously told Reuters.

Washington was continuously assessing its required stance in Syria to successfully fight Islamic State, according to a previous statement from a U.S. administration official.