US bans Tadamon massacre perpetrator
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – A new US Department of State decision barred the perpetrator of the so-called Tadamon massacre, which was uncovered last year, from entering US territory.
In 2013, Amjad Yousef, an intelligence officer in the Syrian government army, killed at least 41 opposition suspects being held as prisoners in cold blood in Tadamon, a Damascus neighborhood. The evidence for these war crimes were uncovered by the New Lines Magazine and The Guardian after a lengthy investigation, which involved creating a fake persona to gain Yousef’s trust.
As a result of the decision today, Yousef – who continues to serve in the Syrian government’s armed forces – his wife, and close family members are barred from entering US territory. In an accompanying statement, the desk of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Yousef’s war crimes “serves as a sobering reminder for why countries should not normalize relations with the Assad regime absent enduring progress towards a political resolution.”
“Our support for the brave Syrians who continue to risk their lives to hold the Assad regime accountable,” the statement continues, “will not waver, and we will pursue every measure to find justice for victims and survivors of atrocities and to promote accountability for those responsible, including the Assad regime and its allies.”