Syrian security forces have arrested five former air force officers, including an air force general, for their alleged involvement in launching combat airstrikes against civilians during the regime of deposed President Bashar al-Assad, authorities announced on Friday.
The arrests were conducted through a series of joint operations coordinated between Syrian security forces and the Counter Terrorism Directorate in the coastal province of Tartous. Colonel Abdul Aal Mohammad Abdul Aal, head of Syria’s Internal Security Forces in Tartous, confirmed the detentions in a formal statement.
According to security personnel, the operations targeted military officials involved in utilizing airbases, combat aircraft, and field command centers to execute intensive strikes on heavily populated civilian areas during the country’s civil war.
Authorities identified the five detained officers as 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.
Colonel Abdul Aal stated that military records and preliminary investigations indicated the five men held direct operational responsibility for planning, commanding, and carrying out air raids on residential neighborhoods. The security chief noted that the military actions under their command led to extensive civilian casualties, severe damage to municipal infrastructure, and widespread forced displacement.
The detainees included pilots, field commanders, and operations room officers who served under the former government. Security officials said that investigations into the five suspects remain ongoing in preparation for their eventual referral to trial.
The detentions mark the latest in a broader effort by Syria’s current administration to hold former regime officials accountable since al-Assad was overthrown in December 2024. Over more than 13 years of conflict, Syrian military operations relentlessly targeted rebel-held areas, resulting in the deaths of more than 500,000 people.
Since the collapse of the previous regime, dozens of former military and security officials have been taken into custody. Earlier this month, Syrian authorities reported the arrest of nine other former pilots, including three generals, in connection with deadly bombings of civilian towns and villages.
In August, a Syrian court sentenced Bashar al-Assad, his brother Maher al-Assad, and five top security officials to death in absentia for war crimes and atrocities committed during the civil war. The former president fled the country during the collapse of his government and is believed to be living in Russia.
Sources
– [Al Jazeera News](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/18/syria-arrests-five-former-al-assad-era-officers-over-strikes-on-civilians?traffic_source=rss)
Source: Al Jazeera News
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Story synopsis gathered from: Al Jazeera News — source
