DAMASCUS: Syrian security forces have arrested a former commander of the Al-Quds Brigade militia accused of involvement in war crimes, drug trafficking and abuses committed during the rule of former president Bashar Assad, the Interior Ministry announced on Sunday.
The ministry said Abdulilah Ismail Al-Hamad was detained following an intelligence-led operation that included surveillance and monitoring to prevent him from evading capture.
In a statement posted on its Telegram channel, the ministry said investigations found that Al-Hamad led a military formation affiliated with the Al-Quds Brigade and participated in military operations in several Syrian provinces during the country’s civil war.
Authorities also linked him to security facilities allegedly involved in kidnappings, drug trafficking and the torture of civilians, including cases that resulted in deaths.
The ministry said legal procedures were continuing and that the case would be referred to the judiciary.
Al-Hamad is the latest former regime-linked figure arrested as Syria’s new authorities pursue accountability for alleged crimes committed during decades of Assad family rule.
The government that took power following the collapse of Bashar Assad’s administration has pledged to dismantle networks tied to the former regime, prosecute individuals accused of war crimes and human rights violations, and reform Syria’s security institutions after more than a decade of conflict.
Assad’s government fell late last year after a rapid opposition offensive ended the family’s more than five decades of rule over Syria. The new leadership has sought international support for reconstruction efforts while promising transitional justice measures and investigations into abuses committed during the civil war.
The arrest follows the detention on Friday of Qais Hassan Al-Abd Al-Rajab, a former brigadier general who served as deputy director of the General Intelligence Directorate, commonly known as State Security, under the deposed government.
According to the Interior Ministry, Al-Abd Al-Rajab was implicated in violations committed against residents of Hajar al-Aswad, Daraya and Moadamiyat al-Sham in the Damascus countryside, as well as several towns and villages in Daraa province.
Authorities said they had monitored attempts by Al-Abd Al-Rajab to evade arrest before taking him into custody.
The Interior Ministry said efforts would continue to track down individuals accused of crimes and violations during the conflict and bring them before the courts.
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