Syrian authorities have arrested 15 former officials of the Bashar al-Assad regime, including Assad’s cousin Yahya al-Assad, as part of ongoing operations targeting former military, intelligence and security figures accused of involvement in crimes and violations during the previous government.

The Syrian Interior Ministry said the arrests were carried out during security operations in Homs as part of efforts to hold former regime figures accountable. Interior Ministry spokesperson Noureddine al-Baba announced the arrests during the “Path of Justice” event held in the city on 26 October.

Among those detained was Yahya al-Assad, who served as a colonel in the former regime’s 105th Brigade and is a cousin of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Former military and intelligence officials detained

The list of detainees announced by Syrian authorities includes several senior figures from the former regime’s military and intelligence structures.

Among them are Major General Mohammed Dib Afouf, former commander of the 24th Division and former head of the Air Defence Administration; Mohammed Turki Manoun, who previously headed an investigation unit at the former Air Force Intelligence Directorate; and Salim Nawras Dagestani, former head of the same directorate’s investigation branch.

The detainees also include former Political Security Branch officer Brigadier General Riyad Hamdu Shahada, former Republican Guard officer Brigadier General Ahmed Faisal Mustafa, and former Terrorism Court judge Ghazi Badreddin Abdulsalih.

Syrian authorities said the arrests also involved former military doctors, pilots and officers who served in different units during the Assad era.

Suspect linked to Tadamon massacre among detainees

Syrian authorities said Kamil Mohammed Sharif, a figure allegedly linked to the Tadamon massacre in Damascus, was also among those arrested.

The Tadamon massacre has been cited among cases involving alleged serious violations against civilians during the former regime period, with investigations focusing on alleged abuses committed during the Syrian conflict.

Authorities said the arrests were part of efforts to ensure that individuals accused of crimes and violations under the former regime face judicial proceedings. The allegations against the suspects are expected to be examined through legal channels.

Accountability process continues after Assad’s fall

Syrian authorities have continued operations against former regime figures following the fall of the Assad government, targeting individuals accused of involvement in security, military and intelligence structures. Similar arrests of former officials and security figures have previously been reported.

The Syrian Interior Ministry previously announced that thousands of former regime military personnel had been detained as part of accountability operations. The process has become a central issue as Syria’s transitional authorities seek to address allegations of abuses committed during decades of Assad family rule.

Syrian authorities have said the operations aim to bring those accused of serious crimes before the courts, while legal proceedings are expected to determine individual responsibility.(ILKHA)