Syrian security forces arrest 11 foreign spies

Syrian security forces say they have arrested 11 foreign spies from different Arab countries in Damascus.

The alleged operatives were detained in the Reef region of the capital.

The arrests do not mark the first such case. In February, a Saudi Arabian intelligence agent was detained in Syria’s western city of Homs.

Syria has said certain foreign countries, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, are supporting armed groups operating against Damascus and supplying them with weaponry and finances.

Syria has been the scene of violence by armed groups since March 2011. The violence has claimed the lives of hundreds of people, including many security forces.

Damascus blames ‘outlaws, saboteurs, and armed terrorist groups’ for the unrest, asserting that it is being orchestrated from abroad.