Syria arrests Assad regime security officer accused of crimes in Daraa

Syrian security forces have announced the arrest of a former officer accused of committing serious crimes against civilians during the rule of the Assad regime in Daraa province, southern Syria.

Brigadier General Abdul Aziz al-Ahmad, head of internal security in Latakia, confirmed the arrest of Sameer Adeeb Omran in a statement published on the Syrian Interior Ministry’s website on Thursday evening.

"[B]ased on precise field monitoring and continuous surveillance, our units, in cooperation with the Counterterrorism Branch, carried out a carefully planned security operation that resulted in the arrest of the criminal Samer Adeeb Omran, from the town of Ain al-Bayda in northern rural Latakia," the statement said.

According to al-Ahmad, Omran "previously served as head of the Military Security detachment in Daraa province during the rule of Assad and was involved in committing grave violations against civilians in Daraa, including assassinations, kidnappings, extortion, and enforced disappearances".

He added that investigations revealed Omran "played a central leadership role in organising and directing these criminal operations, managing extensive networks for drug smuggling, intelligence gathering, and espionage. He was directly involved in assassinating activists, revolutionaries, and their families".

Residents in Daraa have long accused Omran of overseeing a campaign of repression against opposition members and civilians. Local activists and human rights groups describe him as one of the key figures behind systematic abuses in the province, which became a centre of the revolution in 2011.

According to testimonies from locals, Omran is alleged to have supervised torture in secret detention facilities and ordered the disappearance of dozens of people during his tenure in the city of Daraa.

His name has been linked to multiple assassinations and the targeting of former opposition fighters and community leaders.

Activist Abu Muhammad al-Hourani told The New Arab's Arabic edition Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that "Omran held the rank of warrant officer in the engineering company before becoming the security arm of the Military Intelligence chief in Daraa under the former regime, Wafiq Nasser".

He explained that Omran was initially an investigator in Military Intelligence before becoming "the top security figure in Daraa after the regime recaptured the province in 2018".

Al-Hourani added that "he led groups that carried out dozens of assassinations in Daraa city and the countryside, particularly in Daraa al-Balad, Tariq al-Sadd, and the Camp neighbourhoods, in addition to his involvement in drug trafficking".

Omran’s arrest comes amid heightened security operations across southern Syria, including in Daraa and neighbouring Suweida, following months of unrest and armed clashes. Syrian authorities have not disclosed where the former officer is being held or whether he will face trial.

Observers note that this is one of the most prominent arrests announced by Syrian security forces in connection with numerous figures associated with crimes carried out under the Assad regime.