Syria arrests former regime Major General over alleged abuses
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Syria’s Internal Security Forces arrested former regime Major General Jalal Kamel Saqr on Saturday over alleged involvement in military operations and abuses against civilians.
The forces said in a statement that the Internal Security Command in Latakia, in cooperation with the Counter-Terrorism Department, arrested Saqr, who commanded the former regime’s 18th Infantry Brigade and is from Basin village in the Qardaha countryside.
The statement said Saqr was arrested after investigations established his alleged involvement in war crimes and arbitrary arrests against civilians during the years of the Syrian uprising.
It added that investigations showed he participated in military operations against civilians in Damascus and Eastern Ghouta and oversaw arbitrary arrest campaigns in Daraa.
Saqr later served as chief of staff and deputy commander of the 14th Division before becoming its commander until mid-2016. He then moved to the Operations Directorate in Damascus, where he remained until his discharge on May 1, 2017.