Nearly 300 arrested in HTS crackdown on Assad loyalists in Syria: Report
A UK-based war monitor says the new rulers in Syria have detained nearly 300 people in a large-scale crackdown on loyalists to President Bashar al-Assad following the fall of his government earlier this month.
Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), made the remarks on Sunday after the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) administration launched a widespread arrest campaign against Assad’s loyalists earlier this week.
“In less than a week, nearly 300 people have been detained in Damascus and its suburbs, as well as in Homs, Hama, Tartus, Latakia and even Deir Ezzor,” Abdel Rahman said.
He went on to say that among those arrested were former informants, pro-government fighters, and former soldiers, as well as lower-ranking military officers.
Abdel Rahman further noted that “the campaign is ongoing, but no prominent figures have been arrested” except for military justice official General Mohammed Kanjo Hassan, who allegedly issued death sentences for prisoners held in Sednaya jail.
Syria's official news agency SANA also reported arrests this week targeting fighters loyal to Assad in Hama and Latakia provinces, where weapons and ammunition were seized, without providing any figures.
Militants, led by HTS, took control of Damascus on December 8 and declared an end to Assad’s rule in a surprise offensive that was launched from their stronghold in northwestern Syria, reaching the capital in less than two weeks.
The HTS administration has repeatedly claimed they would respect the rights of all sects and religions in Syria.
The situation, however, remains very fluid and fragile, with a potential risk of further clashes as sectarian sentiments continue to boil over, amid the ongoing political instability and pressures on minority groups.
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