Rebel Leader Wants to Prosecute Al-Assad Regime War Criminals

 

"We will not hesitate to hold accountable the criminals, murderers, security agents and military personnel involved in the torture of the Syrian people," said Ahmad al-Chareh, better known by his war alias Abu Mohammed al-Jolani.

"We will pursue the war criminals and demand [their extradition] from the countries they fled to, so that they receive just punishment," Al-Chareh said in a statement posted on social media.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who was in power for 24 years, fled the country in the face of the rebel offensive and went into exile in Russia, according to Russian news agencies TASS and Ria Novost.

"We will announce a first list that includes the names of those mainly involved in the torture of the Syrian people," said the leader of the Islamist group Organization for the Liberation of the Levant (Hayat Tahrir al Sham or HTS).

Al-Chareh said that "rewards will be offered to anyone who provides information about senior military and security officials involved in war crimes." "We affirmed our commitment to tolerate those who do not have their hands stained with the blood of the Syrian people and granted amnesty to those who were in compulsory service," the statement said. "The blood of innocent martyrs and the rights of detainees are a trust that we will not allow to be wasted or forgotten," it concluded. On Monday, Ibrahim al-Hadid, the secretary general of the Syrian Baath party, which was led by Al-Assad, promised that he would "support a transitional phase in Syria, aimed at defending the unity of the country."

 Ahmad al-Chareh also met with former Prime Minister Mohammed al-Jalali on Monday to coordinate a transition of power that would ensure the provision of services to the Syrian population, HTS announced.

Also present at the meeting was the prime minister who heads the "Salvation Government" in the rebel stronghold in northwestern Syria.

Earlier, the movement tasked Mohamed al-Bashir, the leader of the "Salvation Government" - the de facto administration in the northern Syrian province of Idlib controlled by HTS - with forming a transitional government, Syrian television, now run by the opposition, reported.

According to Syrian television, the meeting between rebel leaders and the former prime minister was aimed at preventing the country from falling into chaos after the fall of the regime.

After taking power in Syria, HTS issued several statements in which it promised tolerance towards followers of different faiths churches and denominations in the country, and warned members that they should avoid mistreating or attacking civilians.