Syrian Security Forces Arrest 10 Former Assad Regime Officials

DAMASCUS: Syrian security forces have arrested 10 remnants of the deposed Assad regime in a series of operations across the country, the latest in an ongoing campaign reported by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) to pursue former officials accused of crimes and abuses committed during the former government.

The Interior Ministry said Wednesday that security operations conducted over the past two days in Daraa, Aleppo and Idlib provinces resulted in the detention of several wanted individuals linked to the ousted regime.

According to a ministry source quoted by SANA, those arrested included a former commander of the First Corps and former head of the security and military committee in southern Syria, a former guard at the notorious Saydnaya prison accused of involvement in violations against detainees, and a former officer in the Republican Guard.

The ministry said the arrests formed part of continuing efforts by security agencies and other authorities to track down former regime officials accused of crimes and violations against Syrians and bring them to justice.

Arrest in Latakia

The latest detentions follow another high-profile arrest announced Tuesday in the coastal province of Latakia.

Internal Security Forces said they had detained Osama Mahmoud Hamouda, a former non-commissioned officer accused of participating in abuses against civilians during the rule of former president Bashar Assad.

Brig. Gen. Abdul Aziz Hilal Al-Ahmad, head of Internal Security in Latakia, said Hamouda was arrested following an extensive surveillance and monitoring operation after allegedly attempting to flee the country with the assistance of criminal networks.

Authorities accused him of supplying information to intelligence agencies, participating in arbitrary detention campaigns and engaging in financial extortion.

The arrests come as Syria’s new authorities seek to advance accountability measures and transitional justice following the collapse of the Assad government.

Key to transitional justice

Speaking to SANA on Wednesday, Attorney General Hassan Al-Turba said prosecuting major criminals through Syrian courts was essential to achieving transitional justice, stressing that legal proceedings remain at the center of the process.

Al-Turba said accountability was a key pillar of transitional justice and noted that the Ministry of Justice is working with the Interior Ministry, the National Commission for Transitional Justice and the National Commission for Missing Persons to identify and prosecute those responsible for violations against the Syrian people.

He said authorities have introduced measures to prevent suspects from fleeing the country, including arrest warrants in absentia and efforts to pursue fugitives through Interpol, international agreements and diplomatic channels.

The attorney general also said witness protection measures had been established to encourage testimony and that cooperation with international organizations was helping support transitional justice efforts through technical assistance, training and capacity-building programs.