Syria’s Internal Security Forces announced the arrest of former Major-General Mohammed Ali Durgham on Monday, following accusations that he participated in a massacre and oversaw a violent suppression of civilian demonstrations during the Assad regime.
Durgham is alleged to have given direct orders to fire on unarmed protesters in the Damascus countryside during 2011 demonstrations against the government. Human Rights Watch documented in 2011 that a Syrian army defector identified Durgham as one of several generals who ordered troops to open fire on civilians when deployed to areas in and around Damascus. Between 2009 and 2013, Durgham served as a field commander in the Fourth Division, an elite military unit commanded by former President Bashar al-Assad’s brother Maher al-Assad.
The allegations against Durgham also include involvement in the Hama massacre of 1982, when then-President Hafez al-Assad launched an extensive military operation against the city. The crackdown lasted nearly a month and resulted in significant civilian casualties, with death toll estimates ranging from 10,000 to 40,000 people. Authorities stated that Durgham initially served as a squad commander in the Defence Brigades during the Hama events.
Durgham’s detention represents part of a larger accountability effort by Syria’s current government, which took power following the 2024 overthrow of Bashar al-Assad by forces affiliated with the former rebel organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. Since the regime change, authorities have arrested numerous former security officials and government representatives accused of crimes and human rights violations. Earlier this week, another former military official, Major-General Jalal Kamel Saqr, was also detained on allegations of war crimes and unlawful detention during the previous administration.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI