The Syrian Interior Ministry said security forces in Hama carried out a special operation to detain Mohammed Mohsen Niouf after extensive surveillance. He was transferred to judicial authorities for investigation and prosecution. Niouf previously held key posts, including service in the Third Corps, command of the 18th Armored Division, chief of staff of the 11th Division in 2020, and commander of the 105th Republican Guard Brigade in 2016.

On Friday, authorities also arrested former military police sergeant Mohammed Imad Mahrez, who served as a guard at the notorious Sednaya prison since 2015. Sednaya has long been cited by rights groups as one of Syria’s harshest detention centers, with Amnesty International reporting secret executions of 13,000 detainees between 2011 and 2015.

The arrests are part of a broader campaign targeting figures of the ousted Assad regime. In recent weeks, Damascus courts have held public sessions prosecuting former officials, including Brigadier General Atef Najib, accused of crimes against civilians in Daraa.

The crackdown follows the December 2024 fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, which ruled Syria from 2000 to 2024 after succeeding his father Hafez. Since the 2011 uprising, Sednaya prison became infamous for torture and abuse, symbolizing the regime’s repression. Rights groups say the latest arrests reflect efforts to hold former officials accountable for atrocities committed during Assad’s rule.