Syria: Arrest of Yahya al-Assad, cousin of Bashar al-Assad, among 15 detainees including officers

Syria's Interior Ministry announced the arrest of 15 prominent figures in Homs, including Yahya al-Assad, cousin of Bashar al-Assad, and Alaa al-Assad, along with judges, aviation officers, and former intelligence officials implicated in the "Tadamun" events, continuing previous campaigns.

Syria's Interior Ministry announced on Monday the arrest of 15 prominent figures in the city of Homs, including Yahya al-Assad, cousin of ousted President Bashar al-Assad, and Alaa al-Assad. The list also included judges, aviation officers, and former intelligence officials of the ousted regime, implicated in the "Tadamun" events. This was stated by ministry spokesman Nour al-Din al-Baba, as reported by the official "Syrian News Channel." The list included Muhammad Dib Afouf, who led the 24th Division and managed air defense; Muhammad Turki Manoun, head of the investigation department in the Air Force Intelligence Directorate; and Salem Nouris al-Daghistani, head of the investigation branch in the same directorate. It also included Riyad Hamdo Shahada, who worked in the Political Security Branch; Ghazi Badr Abd al-Saleh, head of the Terrorism Court; and Ahmed Faisal al-Mustafa, who served in the Republican Guard. Al-Baba also announced the detention of Saadallah Jirjis Masoud, who worked at Tishreen Military Hospital; Murhaf Mohsen Ali al-Salama; and military doctor Shuaib Fouad al-Marqadi. The list included helicopter pilots Rajih Khudr Nus and Ibrahim Yassin Salama, and war pilot Munther Ali Muhammad al-Ali, along with Alaa Saleh al-Assad. Among the detainees was Kamel Muhammad Sharif, whom al-Baba said was "implicated in the Tadamun events." Al-Baba did not mention the date of each arrest or the specific charges against all of them. These arrests follow previous operations targeting officers in the ousted regime's apparatus, according to the official channel.