Syrian authorities have arrested nine former military pilots, including three generals, accused of taking part in deadly air strikes on civilians under former president Bashar al-Assad’s rule.
More than 500,000 people were killed in Syria’s civil war, which lasted more than 13 years. Until Assad’s ouster in December 2024, forces loyal to him carried out extensive bombing and air strikes on cities, villages and settlements held by rebel forces. An Islamist-led government later took power in the country.
The new authorities’ internal security forces detained the nine former military pilots in a series of operations in the western Latakia region.
State news agency SANA, citing the authorities, reported that those arrested were involved in war crimes committed against the Syrian people and in attacks carried out across various regions of the country.
The three generals detained were named as Menhel Anwar Saleh, Sami Ibrahim Mahmoud and Ghiath Ali Rahiyeh.
Authorities said the air strikes they carried out killed and wounded large numbers of people, caused extensive destruction in cities and villages, displaced many residents, and destroyed numerous homes and civilian structures.
Since the fall of the Assad government, Syria’s new authorities have detained dozens of former security force members and officials. Judicial proceedings in these cases began last April.
Earlier, on Monday, authorities announced the arrest of a former general accused of leading a bloody crackdown on anti-government protests in 2011 and involvement in the 1982 Hama massacre. The 2011 protests later escalated into a prolonged civil war.
In August, Syria’s new authorities sentenced Assad, his brother Maher al-Assad and five other former security officials to death in absentia over atrocities committed during the civil war — the first such verdict issued under the new government.
After his ouster, Bashar al-Assad left Syria for Russia, where he is believed to still be residing.