Nearly 100 Former Regime Fighters Arrested in Syria’s Deir ez-Zor Province
Syrian forces arrested nearly 100 ex-regime militia members in Deir ez-Zor, targeting Brigade 47 and Iran-linked groups. The operation aims to dismantle remnants tied to past violations. Some leaders fled before the raid; others face prosecution, per SOHR.
By Kamaran Aziz
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) — Syria’s General Security forces have arrested nearly 100 individuals affiliated with the former regime’s “Brigade 47” and the National Defense militia in Deir ez-Zor province, according to a statement by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).
The arrests occurred in the towns of Al-Bukamal, Hamdan, and Sukariyah, with the Observatory reporting that the detainees are currently under investigation.
The statement emphasized that, “investigations with the detainees are ongoing, and those who do not pose a security threat and have not been proven to have committed crimes or violations against civilians will later be released. At the same time, those proven guilty will be referred to the relevant authorities for prosecution, and various types of weapons have also been confiscated from them.”
The Observatory revealed that the arrests followed the receipt of intelligence information and that some identified leaders involved in major crimes managed to flee shortly before the operation began. “The operation began after receiving intelligence information, at a time when a number of identified leaders who were involved in major crimes managed to flee just hours before the start of the operation,” the statement read.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the crackdown forms part of broader efforts to dismantle militia remnants tied to the former regime and Iran-backed groups. It further noted that the campaign seeks to identify and prosecute individuals responsible for violations against civilians.
“This operation is part of security measures aimed at dismantling remnants of militias affiliated with the former regime and Iran-backed groups, as well as investigating those responsible for violations against civilians in the area,” the Observatory stated.
The arrests mark a significant development in the ongoing attempts by Syrian authorities to assert control over Deir ez-Zor, a region that has long been a stronghold of various armed factions linked to both state and non-state actors.
