Syria arrests former general linked to violent repression of anti-government protests during Assad’s rule.
In a significant development reflecting the ongoing efforts towards accountability in post-conflict Syria, authorities have detained former Major-General Mohammed Ali Durgham, who faces serious allegations regarding his involvement in historical atrocities. This arrest comes amid a broader transition in the country, where new leadership is actively working to hold former officials accountable for abuses committed during decades of authoritarian rule. As these moves unfold, they underline a pivotal moment in Syria’s quest for justice and reconciliation.
Syrian authorities have announced the detainment of a prominent general from the Assad era, accused of participating in the notorious Hama massacre and overseeing a brutal crackdown on peaceful protests. Major-General Mohammed Ali Durgham was apprehended by the country’s Internal Security Forces on Monday. His alleged involvement in the Hama massacre of 1982 and the violent suppression of protests in 2011 marks him as a controversial figure in the nation’s recent history.
Authorities stated that Durgham issued direct orders to fire on unarmed demonstrators during the protests in the Damascus countryside, a claim supported by human rights organizations. According to a defector from the Syrian army cited by Human Rights Watch in 2011, Durgham was among the generals who commanded troops to open fire on civilians, escalating the conflict that led to widespread unrest. Between 2009 and 2013, he served as a field commander in the army’s feared Fourth Division, which operated under the command of Maher al-Assad, the president’s brother.
The former Major-General’s military career began in the Defence Brigades during the dark events in the Hama Governorate in 1982. On February 2 of that year, then-Syrian President Hafez al-Assad ordered a ruthless military crackdown on the city of Hama, resulting in a tragic death toll estimated between 10,000 and 40,000 individuals over nearly a month-long siege.
Durgham’s arrest is part of a wider effort by Syria’s new authorities to pursue former officials who are accused of serious human rights abuses under the previous regime. Since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, a slew of former security officials have been detained as the government seeks to ensure justice for those affected by decades of brutality. Just last week, former Major-General Jalal Kamel Saqr was also arrested for his involvement in war crimes and arbitrary detentions, according to reports from the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).
This ongoing campaign exemplifies a significant shift in a country long dominated by fear and repression, hinting at a newfound commitment to accountability and the rule of law in Syria’s post-Assad era.
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