Syria accuses foreign-backed groups of stirring unrest
Speaking at a press conference in Damascus, Interior Ministry Spokesperson Nour Al-Din Al-Baba pointed out that one of the core principles of transitional justice is ensuring fair trials for individuals implicated in war crimes.
Addressing the issue of detainees, Al-Baba claimed that during the Deterrence of Aggression campaign (the military offensive launched by Syrian opposition factions, primarily led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in November 2024,) certain army and intelligence officers from the Al-Assad regime collaborated with authorities and surrendered military units and security branches—facilitating the advance of the campaign's forces.
'A new directorate has been established within the Interior Ministry to coordinate with Interpol to pursue individuals accused of committing crimes against Syrians,' Al-Baba revealed.
For his part, the Supreme Committee for the Preservation of Civil Peace Hassan Soufan stressed that transitional justice does not equate to prosecuting everyone who served under the previous regime.
'Accountability should be limited to senior perpetrators responsible for major crimes and human rights violations,' Soufan stated, warning that rushing or unilaterally implementing transitional justice could plunge the country into chaos and give the impression that the state is incapable of asserting authority, 'potentially opening the door to foreign intervention.'
'The initial guarantees of safety during the liberation phase played a key role in preventing bloodshed, and the country's reconciliation efforts have yielded widely acknowledged progress,' he noted.
Clashes erupted in Syria's coastal provinces in early March after armed groups—allegedly linked to remnants of the former Al-Assad regime—ambushed government forces in Latakia, Tartous, and Jableh, resulting in more than 1,500 casualties.
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