The Syrian Ministry of Interior announced the arrest of Fadi Maarouf, nicknamed “Abu Jahl,” and Major General Ahmed Hijazi Hijazi, who previously served as head of the Information Security Branch in State Security during the era of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, as part of a campaign to pursue those involved in the crimes and violations of the previous stage.
The spokesman for the Syrian Ministry of Interior, Nour al-Din al-Baba, said during a press conference in Damascus that accountability represents an official commitment to the new Syrian state and a fundamental pillar in the project of building a state of law and institutions, stressing that justice will be achieved through the judiciary, evidence and legal procedures, far from the logic of revenge or prejudice.
The Pope explained that the security services were able, after monitoring, follow-up and investigation operations that continued for a long period, to dismantle a cell that he described as “terrorist” linked to the services of the former regime, noting that its members worked as security arms inside the areas previously outside the control of Damascus, and participated in monitoring, gathering information and determining coordinates, as well as coordinating bombing operations that targeted civilian areas in Idlib and Jisr al-Shughur.
He added that investigations showed the involvement of Fadi Marouf, nicknamed “Abu Jahl,” and Issa Ghanem in transmitting the coordinates of the Jabal Al-Duwailah camp in Kafr Takharim to Brigadier General Abdel Rahman Negm, the former head of the State Security Branch, which contributed to carrying out a targeting that led to more than 100 deaths and injuries.
The Pope also revealed the arrest of 12 officers formerly working in military hospitals affiliated with the former regime, including a major general, 6 brigadier generals, two colonels, a lieutenant colonel, and a captain, stressing the continuation of prosecution and investigation operations against others involved.
He pointed out that the Counter-Terrorism Department is currently detaining 5,989 detainees from the former regime in various military ranks, stressing that “there is no immunity for a criminal and no place for impunity in the new Syria.”
He stressed that the transitional justice project in Syria is based on revealing the truth, holding those responsible for crimes accountable, bringing justice to the victims, and preserving national memory, while at the same time preserving societal stability and the rule of law.
