In August 2013, the Syrian army under Assad was accused of using chemical weapons against areas then under rebel control, killing more than 1,400 men, women, and children, according to U.S. intelligence and human rights groups. At the height of Syria’s civil war, the Assad government denied responsibility but later agreed to surrender its chemical arsenal in order to avert possible U.S. military strikes. Assad remained in power for more than a decade before being ousted in 2024 by Islamist-led rebels headed by current president Ahmed al-Sharaa.

On Friday, the ministry said it had arrested Khardal Ahmed Dayoub, described as “a former brigadier general in the forces of the ousted regime and former head of the Air Force Intelligence branch in Daraa,” for his alleged role in “systematic violations against civilians.” The ministry accused Dayoub of involvement in chemical attacks during his service in the Damascus branch and his presence in the Harasta area, where he allegedly “oversaw repressive operations and contributed to the logistical coordination for the bombing of Eastern Ghouta with internationally prohibited chemical weapons.”

Dayoub, one of several former Assad-era officials detained in recent months, is also accused of extrajudicial killings and coordination with Iran and the Lebanese group Hezbollah, both of which supported the former Syrian government. Survivors of the attacks, including medics, risked their lives at the time by posting dozens of videos online and speaking to journalists, including reporters from Agence France-Presse, about the atrocities they had witnessed. The footage showed dozens of bodies — many of them children — lying motionless on the ground. Other images showed unconscious children, victims foaming at the mouth, and doctors desperately trying to help them breathe. (Bssnews)