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by IANS |
Damascus, Dec 30 (IANS) Syria's new interim authorities have detained around 300 people since the start of a crackdown on "remnants of Assad's militias", the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
The state-run news agency SANA confirmed that the interim authorities apprehended "several remnants of Assad's militias and suspects" in the coastal province of Latakia on Saturday, and in Hama on Thursday. SANA also reported the confiscation of "quantities of weapons and ammunition."
The Observatory said on Sunday, those arrested include "security informants, pro-regime and pro-Iranian armed elements, as well as lower-ranking military officers."
Security forces under the new administration launched an extensive operation Thursday targeting individuals linked to the previous authorities around Damascus, Latakia, Tartus, and Homs, Xinhua news agency reported.
Those detained include former regime informants, pro-Iranian fighters, and lower-ranking military officers accused of killings and torture, Abdel Rahman said. Notable among them is General Mohammed Kanjo Hassan, the former head of military justice under Assad, who allegedly oversaw thousands of death sentences following summary trials at the notorious Saydnaya prison.
The Observatory noted that arrests have gone more smoothly "with cooperation from local residents," adding that the campaign also involves "disarming civilians."
Earlier this month, armed factions led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) mounted a surprise offensive, capturing major cities and entering Damascus by early December. The new administration has since intensified efforts to consolidate power.
International rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, have urged the factions now in power to uphold humane treatment and due process for all detainees, including former officials.
Meanwhile, Anas Khattab, newly-appointed head of Syria's General Intelligence Service, said on Saturday that the entire security apparatus in Syria would be reorganised "after dissolving all branches."
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