Syrian Security Forces Arrest Bashar al-Assad’s Cousin Nimir al-Assad in Latakia Operation
Syrian security forces arrested Bashar al-Assad's cousin, Nimir al-Assad, in Latakia for alleged drug trafficking and organized crime. Separately, a Deir Ezzor bus bombing killed five defense personnel, likely by an Islamic State cell.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Syrian security authorities have announced the arrest of Nimir al-Assad, a cousin of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, along with several members of an organized criminal network during a tightly coordinated operation in the countryside of Latakia province.
According to a security source in the Syrian Ministry of Interior, cited by the state-run news agency SANA, units of the Internal Security Forces carried out a special mission in the city of Qardaha, the Assad family’s hometown in Latakia countryside. “The internal security forces managed to arrest the criminal Nimir al-Assad along with a number of members belonging to a criminal gang during a well-planned operation,” the source confirmed.
The ministry’s source described Nimir al-Assad as one of the most prominent drug traffickers in Syria, also linking him to several criminal acts during what it called “the period of the former regime.” The source noted that the operation was executed by a special task unit under the Directorate of Internal Security Affairs, which set up a tactical ambush that successfully led to his arrest.
The Interior Ministry said this step reflects the commitment of Syria’s internal security apparatus to pursue remnants of the “former regime’s corrupt networks,” combat organized crime, and reinforce justice and the rule of law.
At the same time, two members of the Internal Security Forces were seriously wounded following an attack by forces affiliated with the Syrian Interim Government on a joint security checkpoint in the Sheikhan Roundabout area of Aleppo.
According to media outlets close to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), armed groups associated with the Interim Government launched the assault targeting a joint post manned by internal security units and local security forces. The attack resulted in serious injuries to two internal security personnel, who were later transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.
In an official statement, the Internal Security Forces in Aleppo condemned the armed assault, describing it as a “continuation of the repeated violations carried out by the armed groups of the Interim Government.” The statement added that “the attack resulted in severe injuries to two of our members,” stressing that “we hold the responsible parties fully accountable, both legally and ethically, for the consequences of this act.”
The statement further noted that such incidents represent an alarming pattern of breaches undermining local stability and security coordination efforts in northern Syria.
Meanwhile, a deadly explosion targeting a bus belonging to the Syrian Ministry of Defense claimed the lives of at least five personnel in Deir Ez-zor province on Thursday, according to a defense official speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity.
“An explosive device detonated as a bus carrying oil facility guards affiliated with the Defense Ministry passed by, killing five of them and wounding thirteen others, including civilian bystanders,” the official said.
State television confirmed that the explosion struck the bus traveling on the road between Deir Ez-zor and Mayadeen, approximately fifty kilometers apart, noting that the incident occurred during routine transportation of personnel.
Although no group immediately claimed responsibility, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the perpetrators were “likely affiliated with an Islamic State (IS) cell.”
Despite its territorial defeat in 2019 by the US-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) with international coalition support, IS continues to operate in desert regions across eastern and central Syria, launching sporadic attacks particularly against Kurdish-controlled territories in the country’s northeast.
The group, once controlling vast territories across Syria and Iraq, has transitioned to insurgency tactics, targeting military convoys, oil facilities, and transport routes, particularly in the Deir Ez-zor desert, a region long considered a hotbed of militant activity.
Thursday’s incident underscores the ongoing instability in Syria’s war-torn landscape, where rival factions, regime-linked networks, and extremist remnants continue to undermine fragile security and governance efforts across the country.
