Syria arrests militia leader linked to Baniyas massacre

Syrian security authorities, specifically the counter-terrorism unit of the Internal Security Forces, have announced the arrest of Jamal Trabelsi. Trabelsi is identified as the deputy to Ali Kayali, also known as ‘Meraj Ural,’ the leader of a militia known as the ‘Syrian Resistance.’

Trabelsi is accused of involvement in several major atrocities committed alongside forces of the former Bashar al-Assad regime. Most notably, he is linked to the 2013 Baniyas and Al-Bayda massacres, the latter of which reportedly resulted in at least 150 deaths. The official statement also noted his participation in military operations in the rural areas of Hama, Idlib, and Aleppo.

His superior, Ali Kayali, has also been implicated in a 2013 double terrorist bombing in Reyhanlı, Hatay province, Turkey, which killed 52 people. While the announcement confirmed the arrest, specific details regarding the circumstances of the operation were not provided.