Regime Arrests 34 Officers and Soldiers in Southern Syria, Including Saasaa Branch Leader

Observers posit that the arrest campaign may be primarily driven by personal vendettas among regime officers, according to Baladi News.

In recent hours, Syrian regime forces initiated a wave of arrests impacting numerous individuals, including prominent figures in the city of Quneitra, encompassing leaders of various detachments and checkpoints, as per local sources.

According to reliable reports, a joint operation involving the Military Security and Raid Branch 215 was launched in Quneitra, resulting in the apprehension of 34 officers and personnel. Those detained included the Saasaa branch’s leader, Brigadier General Muhammad Assaf, as well as the investigation director in the Saasaa branch, Lieutenant Soqour, Lieutenant Abdullah, and their respective team members. Additionally, Major Muhammad from the same branch, the head of the Arnah detachment and their associates in Mount Hermon, and Lieutenant Colonel Hussein in the Kiswah sector were also among those affected.

Furthermore, the campaign of arrests extended to members of the Saqri checkpoint, Jabah, the Batna detachment, the head of the sector, and the bridge detachment, including Lieutenant Colonel Zulfiqar and their team. The head of the Kawm first assistant detachment, Abu Zainab, along with two of his associates, the head of the Rock Spring detachment known as Abu Ghadir, the head of the Khan Eshieh detachment and several of its members, as well as the checkpoint leaders in the towns of Meshra and Hamidiya, were all similarly impacted.

Conversely, the Syrian regime released a statement solely confirming the removal of Brigadier General al-Assaf from his position and placing him at the disposal of the Military Intelligence Division. In his stead, Brigadier General Adeeb Suleiman was appointed as the new head of the Sa’sa’ 220 branch.

Observers posit that the regime’s security services’ arrest campaign in southern Syria may be primarily driven by personal vendettas among regime officers. This is especially concerning due to the prevalence of drug trafficking and smuggling operations that appear to involve cooperation with regime officers and occur under their supervision.