Bashar al-Assad's cousin captured

The Syrian Ministry of Interior announced that Waseem al-Assad, a cousin of Bashar al-Assad who has long been known for his links to war crimes and drug trafficking, has been captured in a comprehensive security operation.

The ministry shared the details of the operation in an official announcement on its Telegram channel. The statement noted that Waseem al-Assad was captured as a result of a joint operation carried out by the General Intelligence Directorate and security units affiliated with the Ministry of Interior.

The statement included the following remarks:

"The General Intelligence Directorate, in cooperation with the relevant units affiliated with the Ministry of Interior, succeeded in ambushing and capturing the criminal Waseem al-Assad, who was involved in many crimes during the former regime era and is known as one of the most prominent drug traffickers."

Waseem al-Assad, who has been cited for years as the key figure in the illegal drug trade in Syria, had drawn attention not only within the country but also at an international level.

WHO IS WASEEM AL-ASSAD?

Born in 1980, Waseem al-Assad was married and lived in the city of Tartus. However, his name was associated more with illegal activities than his private life. A first-degree cousin of Bashar al-Assad, Waseem had come to the fore particularly for the production and smuggling of the drug known as captagon.

Waseem al-Assad, who was placed on sanctions lists by the United States and the European Union, was also described in international security reports as the "leader of one of the most organized and dangerous criminal networks in the region."

While the arrest of Waseem al-Assad, who managed the chain of financial resource provision, production, and smuggling, points to cracks within the Assad regime, security experts are evaluating the possibility that this operation may be a settling of scores within the regime.

News Source: AA