Former Syrian Air Force Chief Arrested for Alleged War Crimes

Syrian security forces have arrested Jayez Al-Moussa, a former high-ranking officer in Bashar al-Assad’s regime and ex-chief of staff of the Syrian Air Force. Al-Moussa is accused of orchestrating airstrikes on civilian areas using banned weapons, including barrel bombs and poison gas, particularly during conflicts in the Idlib region around 2015. He had been under European Union and British sanctions since 2017 for suspected chemical weapon use and violence against civilians. Reports indicate he was lured to Lebanon before being taken into custody by Syrian anti-terrorism units. This arrest is part of a broader crackdown by Syria's new government on former regime officials, following recent detentions of other ex-officers implicated in atrocities such as the Tadamon massacre. Al-Moussa, who served in the military for over four decades, also coordinated with Russian forces during the civil war and later served as governor of Hasakah. The move signals ongoing legal accountability efforts for crimes committed during the Syrian conflict.