Latest news with #SyrianArabArmy
Gulf Today
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Today
Syrians hope for justice, but face long road ahead
After searching for years for his son and brothers following their arrest and disappearance by Bashar Al Assad's forces, Syrian real estate broker Maher Al Ton hopes he may finally get justice under the new authorities. Last week, the government announced the creation of a national commission for missing persons and another for transitional justice. That, along with the new rulers' arrests of alleged human rights violators linked to the ousted president's government, have made Ton feel hopeful. 'I feel like my son might still be alive,' the 54-year-old said. Mohammad Al Abdallah, executive director of the Syria Justice and Accountability Centre, said that 'there are random arrests of individuals without a plan to search for the missing or to open central investigations into the crime of enforced disappearance, or even to protect mass graves.' Assad's forces arrested Ton's son Mohammed Nureddin in 2018 near Damascus when he was just 17 years old, and has not been heard from since. 'I hope justice and fairness will prevail, and that they will reclaim our rights from the Syrian Arab Army which unjustly took our sons,' he said, using the since disbanded military's official name. Rights groups have welcomed the establishment of the justice commissions, but criticised the limiting of their scope to crimes committed by Assad's government. Syria's war erupted in 2011 with a brutal government crackdown on democracy protesters that saw tens of thousands of people accused of dissent either jailed or killed. Over time, armed groups emerged to battle Assad's military, including radical forces that committed atrocities. During the war, rights groups accused the Hayat Tahrir Al Sham (HTS) group, once affiliated with Al Qaeda, of abuses including unlawful detention and torture. HTS spearheaded the offensive that ousted Assad in December, and its leaders now form the core of the new government. Diab Serriya, a co-founder of the Association of Detainees and Missing Persons of Saydnaya Prison, said that while Assad's government was 'the biggest perpetrator of human rights violations,' that does not 'absolve the other parties in the conflict.' The new body, he said, 'does not meet the aspirations of victims'. Agence France-Presse
Jordan Times
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Jordan Times
Syrians hope for justice, but face long road ahead
By AFP - May 20,2025 - Last updated at May 20,2025 People walk past a chocolate advertisement in the Syrian capital in Damascus on Tuesday (AFP photo) BEIRUT, Lebanon — After searching for years for his son and brothers following their arrest and disappearance by Bashar Assad's forces, Syrian real estate broker Maher Al Ton hopes he may finally get justice under the new authorities. Last week, the government announced the creation of a national commission for missing persons and another for transitional justice. That, along with the new rulers' arrests of alleged human rights violators linked to the ousted president's government, have made Ton feel hopeful. "I feel like my son might still be alive," the 54-year-old said. Assad's forces arrested Ton's son Mohammed Nureddin in 2018 near Damascus when he was just 17 years old, and has not been heard from since. "I hope justice and fairness will prevail, and that they will reclaim our rights from the Syrian Arab Army which unjustly took our sons," he said, using the since disbanded military's official name. Rights groups have welcomed the establishment of the justice commissions, but criticised the limiting of their scope to crimes committed by Assad's government. Syria's war erupted in 2011 with a brutal government crackdown on democracy protesters that saw tens of thousands of people accused of dissent either jailed or killed. Over time, armed groups emerged to battle Assad's military, including jihadist forces that committed atrocities. During the war, rights groups accused the Hayat TahrirAl Sham (HTS) group, once affiliated with Al Qaeda, of abuses including unlawful detention and torture. HTS spearheaded the offensive that ousted Assad in December, and its leaders now form the core of the new government. DiabSerriya, a co-founder of the Association of Detainees and Missing Persons of Saydnaya Prison, said that while Assad's government was "the biggest perpetrator of human rights violations", that does not "absolve the other parties in the conflict". The new body, he said, "does not meet the aspirations of victims". 'Criminals' Syria's new rulers have also arrested several former military and security officials accused of crimes. This month, the interior ministry announced the arrest of Ghassan Youssef Ali, a doctor, saying he was "one of the officers working at the Tishreen Military Hospital during the era of the former regime". AFP published in January a report about how detainees were beaten instead of treated at that hospital, the largest military health facility in Damascus. In April, the security forces detained former intelligence officer Sultan al-Tinawi on accusations of war crimes. According to Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor, "fewer than 10" high-ranking officials have been arrested, with most fleeing the country in the wake of Assad's fall. Others have gone into hiding in areas of the country that are home to a large Alawite community, whose members stem from the same religious minority as Assad. Mohammad Al Abdallah, executive director of the Syria Justice and Accountability Centre, said that "there are random arrests of individuals without a plan to search for the missing or to open central investigations into the crime of enforced disappearance, or even to protect mass graves". Justice is 'essential' HibaZayadin, senior researcher at Human Rights Watch, agreed. "There isn't much transparency around what is taking place following these arrests," she said. Abdallah said there appeared to be "two tendencies: to arrest some individuals, most of them lower-ranking, and to cooperate with other individuals". Among those who evaded arrest, he said, was FadiSaqr, a former commander in the National Defence Forces, a pro-Assad militia. Instead, he has joined a committee in the coastal province of Latakia tasked with building bridges between communities divided by years of violence and sectarian conflict. Transitional justice processes in other parts of the world have been long and painful -- with some countries involving alleged abusers in their new systems to ensure a degree of continuity, and others choosing to turn over a new leaf. In a report last week, Amnesty International said it was "essential" that those responsible for crimes against humanity, war crimes and torture face justice in fair trials. "Delaying justice will only heighten the risk of further bloodshed," it added.
Al Bawaba
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Al Bawaba
Video: Syrians dig out Hafez Assad's grave
ALBAWAB - A new video circulating across social media sparked controversy after it showcased several unknown individuals who dug out the grave of Syria's former president and politician, Hafez Assad. According to several local reports, the grave, which is located in Qardaha in the Latakia Governorate, was dug out, including Hafez's bones, sparking widespread debate on the Syrian side of social media. Many social media users expressed their anger towards the incident, claiming that despite opposing political views, these individuals should've refrained from disrespecting a resting corpse. They called the move "vile" and "inhumane." On the contrary, several others commended the unknown individuals because Hafez Assad had a hand in the 1982 Hama massacre. Hama witnessed a clash between the Syrian Arab Army and the Defense Companies paramilitary force, which lasted 27 days, causing the deaths of tens of thousands of people. Hafez Assad ruled as the 18th president of Syria from 1971 until he died in 2000, after suffering from a sudden heart attack. He was born in Al Qardahah, Syria, and passed away in Damascus before being buried in his hometown. Hafez's son, Bashar Assad, who succeeded him as the 19th president of Syria, was recently ousted in 2024 by Ahmed Al Sharaa's rebel army and fled to Moscow, Russia, alongside his family, putting an end to the long reign of the notorious Assad regime.
Gulf Insider
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Insider
'State Of Panic' Among Locals As Israel Expands Occupation Of South Syria
The Israeli army expanded its occupation of southern Syria on Sunday, continuing its campaign of destroying infrastructure belonging to the former Syrian Arab Army (SAA). The troops pushed into the village of Ain al-Nouriya in the northeastern countryside of the southern city of Quneitra. 'The forces destroyed the remains of two mortar companies and anti-tank missiles belonging to the former Syrian army, near the strategic Ain al-Nouriya hill,' Syrian sources told Al Mayadeen . 'Occupation forces were stationed for hours on a vital road linking the Quneitra countryside to the Damascus countryside in the direction of Khan Arnabeh – Harfa, which caused a state of panic among the residents, especially with the expansion of the incursions and the increase in Israeli patrols in the Quneitra countryside and Mount Hermon,' the sources said. An Israeli airstrike targeted a military site on the outskirts of the city of Inkhil in the northern countryside of the southern Deraa governorate on Saturday night. Israel's recent expansion across southern Syria, which began immediately after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's government, has seen invading troops seize precious water sources such as the Al-Wahda Dam on the Yarmouk River Basin and others, as well as establish observation posts in several strategic areas overlooking Damascus and its countryside. The Washington Post reported earlier this month, citing locals in the area, that the Israeli army is setting up permanent military settlements in a number of villages in southern Syria, including Jabata al-Khashab in Quneitra. Tel Aviv is planning to maintain an indefinite presence in Syria. 'The IDF will remain at the summit of the Hermon and the security zone indefinitely to ensure the security of the communities of the Golan Heights and the north, and all the residents of Israel,' Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said late last month during a visit to the occupied Syrian territory. 'We will not allow hostile forces to establish themselves in the security zone in southern Syria … we will act against any threat,' he added. Katz also said that Tel Aviv will make contact with 'friendly populations' in the southern Syria area, 'with an emphasis on the large Druze community which has historic and close family relations with our Druze brothers in Israel.' Israel has proclaimed it is establishing a security 'buffer zone' after Assad's ouster on December 8. Map via The Intercept: Israel has claimed concern over minority groups in Syria, some of whom face heavy persecution at the hands of the new Syrian authorities. Last week, Syrian residents of the village of Al-Muallaqa said they would refuse any aid or assistance from Israel or its military.
