Syria08 October, 20262 min read
Syrian Internal Security Arrests 7 Wanted Operatives, Including Falcons Brigade Founder Shahin Hamdan Al-Shahin
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Seven former Assad-era operatives arrested in Hama, including founder of the Falcons Brigade. Suspects implicated in massacres, killings, arbitrary arrests, and torture during 2017-2019.
Hama arrests target regime-linked
Syrian Internal Security Forces announced they arrested 7 wanted individuals involved in crimes and violations against civilians during the years of the Syrian revolution 2011-2024, with operations concentrated in Hama governorate in central Syria. The Internal Security Forces said the arrests included Shahin Hamdan Al-Shahin, one of the founders of the militia "Falcons Brigade" during the era of the deposed regime.
The Internal Security Forces stated that investigations showed Shahin began “working with the air intelligence in 2015” under the leadership of former army general Sohail al-Hassan. The Internal Security Forces added that Shahin later participated in founding armed groups on a large scale and that he was directly involved in committing horrific massacres against civilians, most notably in the eastern countryside of Hama and on the Athria-Raqqa highway during 2017.
Names, accusations, and locations
Arab News said Syrian security forces arrested at least 14 former operatives connected with Bashar Assad in Hama over alleged involvement in massacres, torture, the kidnap of civilians and other abuses. Arab News identified Shaheen Hamdan Al-Shaheen, founder of the Al-Shawaheen Regiment militia, and said he was accused of killings, arbitrary arrests, torture and the destruction of property in Palmyra and Deir Ezzor between 2017 and 2019.
SANA said Internal Security Forces arrested Shaheen Hamdan al-Shaheen following precise intelligence tracking, and it described his work with Air Force Intelligence in 2015 under war criminal Suheil al-Hassan. SANA also said security records and investigations indicated that al-Shaheen was directly involved in committing massacres against civilians, notably in the eastern Hama countryside, along the Athriya-Raqqa road in 2017, and in Palmyra and Deir Ezzor up to 2019.
Ongoing investigations and referrals
The Internal Security Forces said they arrested Faisal Bidour and Asif Salama, and it described Bidour as a member of militias affiliated with Sohail Hassan’s forces and Salama as a non-commissioned officer in the Defense Factories under the deposed regime army. The Internal Security Forces said it also arrested four other regime forces members for their involvement in crimes, massacres, and severe violations against civilians, including Nabil Adnan Ismail and Ghazi Mohammed Ismail, who it said participated directly in the events of the village of Arqab.
The Internal Security Forces stated that the competent authorities continue the investigations with the detainees to complete the necessary legal procedures against them, for referral to the competent judiciary. The Interior Ministry said investigations were continuing and the suspects would be referred to the appropriate courts when legal procedures were completed, as Syrian security operations targeted former regime officials and members of militias suspected of committing abuses during the country’s civil war.