Syria Detains Former Officers over Civilian Air Strikes
Syrian authorities have detained five former air force officers, including a general, accused of planning and executing strikes on populated areas during the previous regime.
Syrian security forces have arrested five former air force officers, including an air force general, accused of involvement in air strikes on civilians during the rule of the deposed President Bashar al-Assad. The detentions were carried out in a series of coordinated operations involving the Counter Terrorism Directorate, according to a statement released by the head of the Internal Security Forces in the coastal Tartous province.
Colonel Abdul Aal Mohammad Abdul Aal stated that the individuals, who served as pilots, field commanders, and operations room staff, are alleged to have used aircraft and field command centers to conduct intensive combat airstrikes targeting residential neighborhoods. The statement indicates that these actions resulted in the destruction of infrastructure, forced displacement, and significant civilian casualties.
Investigations Continue Pending Trial
According to Al Jazeera English, military records and ongoing investigations suggest that the five detained officers played specific roles in planning and directing these operations. The named individuals include Major-General Mohammad Fajr Ali, Brigadier-General pilot Abdullah Ali Mualla, Colonel pilot Nidal Hussein Saleh, Colonel Mohammad Ali Salim, and Lieutenant-Colonel pilot Talib Abdul Karim Hassan. Authorities have indicated that the suspects will be referred for trial once the current investigative phase is concluded.
Context of Post-Regime Accountability
These arrests occur against the backdrop of a civil war that lasted more than thirteen years and claimed over half a million lives. Since the overthrow of the Assad regime in December 2024, the new government has moved to hold former security officials accountable for their actions during the conflict. In August, Syrian courts sentenced the former president, his brother Maher, and five other security officials to death in absentia for atrocities committed during the war.
The current administration has also recently detained nine other former pilots, including three generals, accused of participating in lethal bombings of towns and villages. As the justice process advances, observers are watching how the legal system handles these high-profile cases and what further accountability measures may be taken regarding the conduct of the former military leadership.
