Syria’s Internal Security Forces have made a new arrest as part of investigations into war crimes committed inside the country. Two individuals, named Faysal Abbas Akhal and Nasr Muhammad Ghosn, were taken into custody for their involvement in the raid on the village of Wadi al-Mawla west of Homs in 2013, which resulted in the killing of 40 civilians.
According to the security forces’ statement, during interrogation the suspects confessed to having surrounded and raided Wadi al-Mawla village in the Talkalakh district together with armed groups linked to the former regime’s military intelligence. Forty civilians, including women and children, lost their lives in the attack.
The detainees were referred to the Counter-Terrorism Department for completion of the investigation and legal proceedings, after which they will be handed over to the competent judicial authorities.
According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, during this raid conducted by government forces on November 15, 2013, the village residents were rounded up and shot.
The Syrian Ministry of Interior continues to pursue former regime members who committed crimes against Syrian civilians over the past 14 years. On July 16, the ministry announced that Major General Pilot Abdurrazzaq Ibrahim al-Mur and an officer named Karam Hafiz Ibrahim, who served in the toppled regime’s army, had been captured in separate operations.
On June 15, the Ministry of Interior had announced the outcome of operations targeting security and military elements of the former regime. According to that announcement, a total of 3,484 people had been arrested, including one general of “imad” rank, 42 major generals, 172 brigadier generals, 218 colonels, 112 lieutenant colonels, 73 majors and 160 captains.
Meanwhile, Baraa Abdurrahman, the Media and Communication Director of the Syrian Ministry of Justice, said in a statement on June 16 that the number of detainees held by the ministry had reached 6,000. Abdurrahman said that most of these detainees were senior “shabiha” (militias without military rank) and former regime officers.
