Syrian security forces in the Tartus Governorate, in the west of the country, arrested former Colonel Salem Iskander Taraf on Tuesday. He is accused of "crimes and violations" during the rule of the ousted regime and of being involved in the events on the coast last month.
اضافة اعلان
This was reported by the Syrian Ministry of Interior in a statement on its Telegram account.
The statement said: "The Tartus Security Directorate was able to arrest the criminal Colonel Salem Iskander Taraf after a precise surveillance and monitoring operation."
It added: "Taraf held several leadership positions, most notably commanding Brigade 123 of the Republican Guard in Aleppo (North), and prior to that, he led the Republican Guard in Deir ez-Zor (East)."
The statement further explained that Taraf "was associated with a number of violations and crimes, alongside the criminal Issam Zahreddine."
It continued: "During his tenure as head of the State Security Branch in the town of Sanamin in Daraa Governorate (South), he facilitated the entry of Hezbollah militia members into the region, maintaining direct and close relations with these groups."
Additionally, the statement noted that "Taraf also recruited and managed a group of remnants of the ousted regime, who were involved in the attack that occurred in March of last year."
