Idlib, northwestern Syria – Syria’s Interior Ministry announced on Tuesday the arrest of former army colonel accused of committing war crimes and serious human rights violations during the former regime era.
In a statement posted on Facebook, the ministry said security forces in Idlib province, northwest Syria, arrested the retired Colonel Ziad Kokash after “extensive monitoring and a precise security operation.”
According to the statement, Kokash took part in violent crackdowns on peaceful protests when the Syrian uprising began in 2011. He later commanded several military checkpoints at the entrances to Hama province before retiring in 2016.
Despite his retirement, the ministry says Kokash remained active by joining the notorious “25th Division,” a pro-government paramilitary unit leading brutal campaigns against areas opposing to the regime. According to the Ministry played a direct role in planning and executing operations that resulted in widespread abuses against civilians.
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On Monday, Syrian authorities also announced the arrest of a suspect linked to the Karm al-Zaytoun massacre in Homs province, one of the war’s most infamous atrocities. The suspect was detained during an attempted escape abroad, according to the Interior Ministry.
The ministry released video footage on Facebook showing the massacre preparator speaking about how the massacre unfolded, saying that forces loyal to the former regime and its security agencies carried it out against civilians.
Authorities say they will soon publish more details from the preparator’s confession, which will shed new light on the events surrounding the Karm al-Zaytoun massacre, one of the bloodiest episodes in Homs during the early years of the war.
In its statement, the ministry emphasized that these arrests are part of “ongoing efforts to pursue those responsible for crimes and violations against the Syrian people and to ensure they are brought to justice.”
