Syrian authorities arrest three brothers accused of killing 15 detainees under Assad

Syrian authorities on Saturday announced the arrest of three brothers accused of taking part in the mass execution of 15 civilians who were detained during the rule of the former Assad regime.

In a statement, Syria’s Interior Ministry said its units arrested Akram, Fazrat and Ghayath Shamma over their alleged involvement in the killings.

The ministry said investigations, witness accounts, and video footage documenting the incident found that the three men were involved in detaining 15 unarmed civilians before executing them during the country’s nearly 14-year civil war.

One video shows the victims blindfolded and bound before being shot dead. According to the ministry, the suspects confessed their involvement in that footage.

The statement did not say where the three brothers were arrested.

Syria’s new authorities have continued to crack down on Assad-era officials accused of committing war crimes and human rights violations against Syrians before and during the war, which erupted in 2011 after Assad’s forces violently suppressed anti-government protests.

The conflict drew in foreign militaries and armed groups, killed more than half a million people, displaced millions more, and left large parts of the country in ruins.

Assad’s regime collapsed in December 2024 following a lightning rebel offensive, prompting him and his family to flee to Russia.

Since then, the new administration in Damascus has sought to stabilise the country while grappling with persistent security, economic and humanitarian challenges.