A suicide bomber affiliated with the Islamic State killed a police officer in Aleppo on New Year's Eve. The attack is part of a series of increased IS operations in Syria, targeting churches and civilian gatherings. Following the incident, security measures were heightened in Aleppo. The US has also conducted strikes against IS in retaliation for previous attacks, including one that killed US citizens. Syrian authorities have been actively targeting IS, with recent operations resulting in the death of a senior leader. Concerns about violence against minorities have risen under the new leadership of Ahmed al-Sharaa.