Historical days continue to occur in Syria. The operation launched by opposition groups against Bashar Assad’s government on November 27 overthrew the Assad government 12 days later. Assad fled to Moscow with his family. It is not clear where he is, but one of the first names at the top of the list of “war and torture criminals” of HTS (Hey’etu Tahrîri’ş-Şâm), which took control in Syria, is undoubtedly Bashar Assad’s brother Mahir Assad.
HTS GOES AFTER “WAR CRIMINALS”
HTS leader Ahmed al-Shara (Abu Muhammad al-Julani) vowed on Tuesday to go after former senior government officials responsible for torture and war crimes.
Al-Shara said, “We are determined to ensure that the security and army officials, as well as the criminals and murderers who tortured the Syrian people, are held accountable before justice. We will not give up on the pursuit of war criminals. We will follow these criminals even in the countries they fled to, and ensure that they receive the punishment they deserve. High-level officials who torture the Syrian people “We will announce the first list containing the names of the perpetrators soon.” he said.
Al-Shara also added that they will offer rewards to anyone who provides information about high-ranking military and security officials involved in war crimes.
EYES ARE TURNED TO BROTHER ASSAD
With this statement by HTS, all eyes turned to Maher Assad, who is known as the hardliner of the Assad family and described as the “ruthless face of the government”.
ASSAD FAMILY TAKES REFUGE IN RUSSIA
According to the Russian news agency TASS, Assad and his family went to Moscow, the capital of Russia, after the opposition captured Damascus. Russia offered them asylum. Meanwhile, it was stated that Bashar Assad, the richest refugee in history, took 135 billion dollars with him when he fled to Russia.
HE WAS MAKING MONEY FROM DRUG TRAFFICKING
According to what was reported on Al Monitor and NDTV; 56-year-old Maher Assad, Assad’s brother and Hafez Assad’s youngest son, was one of the important actors of the regime. Mahir, one of the key figures in both the Syrian army and the alliance with Iran, was commanding the 4th Division. This division, an extremely loyal force, had allegedly gained great economic power by being involved in drug production and trafficking.
HIS NAME IS IDENTIFIED WITH OPPRESSION
It is also claimed that Mahir unofficially manages the militia group called Shabiha (Ghosts), which protects the interests of the Assad regime. Mahir’s reputation for cruelty comes from his role in violence against protesters. In 2011, the EU imposed sanctions on him for this reason.
ONE OF THE PRIMARY SUSPECTS OF THE ASSASSINATION
Mahir’s name was also mentioned in the murder of his brother-in-law Asef Şevket in 1999. He was also named as one of the suspects in the assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in 2005.
ARREST ORDER ON CHEMICAL WEAPON ALLEGATION
More than 1,400 civilians lost their lives in the chemical weapons massacre in the Eastern Ghouta region on August 21, 2013, which was on the agenda of the international community. It was reflected in some reports that the sarin-filled rockets used in the attacks were fired by units affiliated with the 4th Armored Division.
Last November, French judicial authorities issued an international arrest warrant for Bashar Assad, his brother Maher Assad, Commander of the 4th Armored Division, and two Syrian generals Ghassan Abbas and Bassam al-Hassan, on the grounds that they were involved in war crimes and crimes against humanity.
SECRET AND UNOFFICIAL DETENTION CENTERS
According to the information in AA; There were also centers in Syria where the Assad regime detained dissidents, but they were almost secret. According to SNHR and other human rights organizations, the aim of the secret detention centers established was to inflict more severe torture. Those who fell into such torture centers had no chance of escape. These centers were affiliated with the 4th Company, commanded by Mahir Assad, brother of deposed leader Assad.
The regime turned some houses, villas and stadiums into detention centers, especially in early 2012.
It turned out that Deir Shmeyl Camp, located in the northwest of Hama, was one of these detention centers.
WILL THE US ADMINISTRATION REMOVE HTS FROM THE TERRORISM LIST?
Meanwhile, it has been claimed that the US administration is considering ways to remove Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which is still on the list of foreign terrorist organizations, from the terrorist list in order to work with the “new administration in Syria”.
According to AA’s report based on two unnamed senior American officials who spoke to the American NBC News channel; The Joe Biden administration is working on possible scenarios regarding the situation of HTS.
According to the news, the US administration is making the necessary evaluations to remove HTS, which is still on the list of foreign terrorist organizations, from this list.
While one of the officials who made a statement stated that HTS could be removed from the terrorist list “soon”, the other official stated that it is still in the first stage of the evaluation process.
Officials stated that the purpose of this step is to make it easier for the United States and other countries to work comfortably with the “new administration in Syria.”
In this context, the officials in question stated that the 10 million dollar bounty on the head of HTS leader Ahmed al-Shara (Abu Muhammad al-Julani) could be removed.
On the other hand, the US State Department, in its last statement on the subject, noted that there is currently no policy change to remove HTS from the terrorist list.
The USA included HTS on the list of foreign terrorist organizations in 2018.
WHAT HAPPENED IN SYRIA?
On November 27, clashes intensified between anti-regime armed groups and Bashar Assad forces in Syria.
Between November 30 and December 7, the groups gained dominance in the largest provinces such as Aleppo, Idlib, Hama and Homs.
With the support of the masses to the groups that started to enter the capital Damascus on December 7, the regime completely lost control in Damascus and many other regions and collapsed.
As the 61-year rule of the Baath Party came to an end, regime leader Assad fled the capital.
On the other hand, the Syrian National Army liberated the Tel Rifat district center from the terrorist organization PKK/YPG on the first day of Operation Dawn of Freedom, which was launched in December.
With the liberation of the Manbij district in the operation, the region, which turned into the largest terrorist nest west of the Euphrates River, was cleared of PKK/YPG.