Syria’s Interior Ministry announced the arrest of nine military pilots who served under former President Bashar Assad, accusing them of involvement in aerial attacks that killed and wounded civilians and caused widespread destruction in civilian areas during the Syrian war.
Brig. Gen. Abdulaziz al-Ahmad, head of internal security in Latakia province, said in an official statement that the arrests followed surveillance, intelligence gathering, and investigations. The operations were carried out jointly by internal security directorates in Latakia and the Counterterrorism Branch.
Those arrested include three brigadier generals: Manhal Anwar Saleh, Sami Ibrahim Mahmoud, and Ghiyath Ali al-Rahieh. Three colonels were also detained: Issa Ezzedine Khaddour, Marwan Salah Nafesh, and Bashar Samir Wannous.
The other detainees are Lt. Col. Ayham Hamza Alia and Captains Ayham Ahmad Dawoud and Ammar Issa Junaidi.
According to the government’s account, the detainees served in Assad-era fixed-wing and helicopter aviation units. Authorities said investigations and information gathered so far indicate that the pilots participated in bombing operations and attacks across several Syrian provinces.
Al-Ahmad said those operations resulted in large numbers of people being killed or wounded and caused extensive damage to cities, towns, homes, civilian facilities, and infrastructure. He added that the attacks also contributed to the displacement of residents.
The Interior Ministry has not yet disclosed the specific airstrikes or incidents attributed to each of the nine officers. It has also not identified the air bases or units in which they served during the periods under investigation or detailed the evidence being used to link each individual to the alleged violations.
These arrests are significant given the extensive role played by the Syrian air force during the war. For years, Assad’s forces relied heavily on warplanes and helicopters in military operations against opposition-held areas.
Since the fall of the Assad government, Syria’s new authorities have said they intend to pursue individuals for whom evidence exists of involvement in violations and crimes against Syrians and refer them to the judiciary.
Al-Ahmad said the nine pilots would be referred to the “competent judiciary,” adding that the arrests were part of continuing efforts to pursue those responsible for crimes committed during the previous years.
The arrests bring renewed attention to the question of individual responsibility among members of the former Syrian air force, while details of the allegations against the nine pilots remain undisclosed. Further investigations and judicial proceedings are expected to determine the specific acts attributed to each officer and the evidence on which the authorities base their accusations.
