Syrian security forces have arrested Colonel Mohammad Nadim al-Shabb, the top aide to Mohammad Jaber, the former commander of the so-called “Desert Falcons” militia that operated during the rule of the defunct regime, according to the Interior Ministry.
The Interior Ministry said in a statement that the arrest was carried out by the Counterterrorism Branch, in coordination with the Internal Security Directorate in Latakia, following months of surveillance and field monitoring.
Al-Shabb, a native of Latakia, was reportedly responsible for planning and executing “field operations” targeting positions of the Internal Security Forces and the Ministry of Defense during the events of March 6.
Preliminary investigations, the statement added, indicate his involvement in several deadly attacks on security and military sites, as well as in forming armed groups within the province aimed at carrying out operations against state institutions.
The ministry confirmed that further investigations are underway and that additional arrests are expected as part of the ongoing counterterrorism operations in the region.
Amer Dhawa
