Ankara:Syrian security forces have arrested five former militia and intelligence members linked to the ousted Bashar al-Assad regime, citing their involvement in massacres and serious crimes against civilians, as announced by the Interior Ministry.
According to Anadolu Agency, the arrests were a result of intelligence-based operations conducted by internal security forces. Among those detained was Shahin Hamdan al-Shahin, a founder of the Shawaheen Regiment militia, who had worked with the former regime's Air Force Intelligence Directorate under Suheil al-Hassan since 2015. He was reportedly involved in civilian massacres, particularly in eastern Hama province and along the Ithriya-Raqqa road in 2017, and later commanded groups responsible for killings, arrests, torture, and destruction in Palmyra and areas extending to Deir ez-Zor province until 2019.
In another operation, authorities arrested four other former regime members for their participation in massacres and serious violations against civilians. Two of the detainees, identified as Nabil Adnan Ismail and Ghazi Mohammed Ismail, were group commanders within militias associated with the former regime's Air Force Intelligence Directorate. They were implicated in kidnappings, looting, and massacres, including incidents in the village of Aqrab, and were involved in extorting money from kidnapped civilians.
The other two suspects, brothers Taher Youssef al-Mohammed and Talal Youssef al-Mohammed, were affiliated with the Air Force Intelligence Directorate and the Scientific Studies and Research Center. The ministry stated that they participated in repression and arrests, exploiting their positions to access detainees' files and extort their families.
Investigations into the five suspects are ongoing before being referred to judicial authorities. These arrests are part of broader security operations targeting former regime officials and military personnel involved in crimes committed during Syria's nearly 14-year conflict.
On September 18, Syrian authorities detained five senior air force officers and commanders who served under Assad for their roles in planning and executing airstrikes on populated areas. Following Assad's ousting on December 8, 2024, Syria's new administration has intensified efforts to hold former regime figures accountable for abuses during the conflict. Assad fled to Russia after anti-regime forces captured Damascus, ending decades of Baath Party rule.