On Saturday, April 26, the Syrian Ministry of Interior announced that the Homs Security Directorate had successfully apprehended General Assaf Issa al-Nisani, a senior military officer implicated in war crimes and grave human rights violations against the Syrian people over the past decade.
Nisani held a series of high-profile field commands, including:
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Leading military operations in Wadi al-Deif in rural Idlib.
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Overseeing artillery deployments atop Mount al-Arba’in near Ariha in southern Idlib.
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Commanding the military operations center in Kafr Nabudah and its surrounding areas.
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Later serving as commander of the Eighth Division and head of the security committee in Hama Province.
Nisani gained notoriety for his direct role in executing brutal policies of repression and destruction. He was closely aligned with General Suheil al-Hassan, serving as one of his principal field operatives during military campaigns that disproportionately targeted civilian populations.
The Ministry of Interior confirmed that Nisani will be referred to the competent judicial authorities to stand trial for the atrocities he allegedly committed over more than a decade.
Additional Arrests
The Homs General Security Forces also arrested Kamel Abbas, known by his alias “Abu Haidar Mario,” regarded as one of the most dangerous individuals associated with crimes of the former Assad regime.
Abbas is accused of direct involvement in the infamous Tadamon Massacre, alongside officer Amjad Yousef—an atrocity that drew widespread domestic and international condemnation after leaked footage documented its horrifying details.
Further investigations implicate Abbas in a series of severe abuses, including the exploitation and assault of women lured to his workplace in the Tadamon neighborhood.
Authorities confirmed that Abbas has been formally referred to the judiciary—a move welcomed by human rights advocates as a significant first step toward holding perpetrators of war crimes and grave violations accountable.
Separately, the Ministry of Interior had earlier announced the arrest of Mahmoud Shaddoud, a former member of the Assad regime militias, accused of participating in mass killings and acts of arson against civilians during the brutal siege of the Baba Amr neighbourhood in Homs. Shaddoud, too, will be prosecuted before the appropriate judicial authorities.
Broader Security Campaign
These arrests are part of a broader coordinated security operation launched by the Syrian Ministry of Defense and Internal Security Forces, aimed at apprehending individuals implicated in atrocities committed during the years of violent repression under the Assad regime and its affiliated militias.
Authorities report that several perpetrators have now been detained, marking a significant step toward accountability and justice for the countless victims of Syria’s past crimes.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
