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Syria arrests two former Assad officials accused of war crimes, massacres
The arrests involved Gassan Assaf, a former aide to military commander Suhail al-Hassan, and ex-commander Shuaib Mahmoud Ibrahim
- PUBLISHED: Sun 7 Jun 2026, 5:52 PM
Syrian authorities have arrested two former officials linked to the government of former president Bashar Al Assad as part of an ongoing crackdown on individuals accused of crimes committed during the country's conflict.
The Ministry of Interior said the arrests involved Gassan Assaf, a former office manager to military commander Suhail al-Hassan, and Shuaib Mahmoud Ibrahim, a former military commander accused of taking part in operations against opposition-held areas.
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According to the ministry, Assaf was detained by the Counter-Terrorism Directorate. Authorities said he was involved in massacres against civilians in western rural areas of Aleppo and of orchestrating bombings targeting public security institutions.
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In a separate operation in the Masyaf area of Hama province, security forces arrested Ibrahim following an intelligence-led surveillance operation and ambush. Authorities also seized a cache of weapons hidden in the area.
Preliminary investigations found that Ibrahim had participated in military operations in the countryside of Homs and Hama in 2017 and was allegedly involved in the mutilation of bodies.
The ministry said Ibrahim admitted to possessing weapons and concealing them with another individual in the Masyaf area. Efforts are continuing to locate the second suspect and recover the remaining weapons.
Ibrahim has been referred to the Counter-Terrorism Directorate for further investigation before being transferred to the judiciary.
The arrests are part of a broader effort by Syria's new authorities to track down former officials and military figures accused of violations against civilians during the conflict.
The campaign follows the overthrow of Assad's government by opposition forces led by Ahmed al-Sharaa in December 2024, ending more than two decades of Assad family rule. Since then, the new administration has launched a series of security operations aimed at restoring stability and holding those accused of wartime crimes accountable.
