The Syrian Interior Ministry has announced the arrest of Brigadier General Suleiman al-Tinawi, one of the most prominent Air Force Intelligence officers under Bashar al-Assad's regime, adding that he "committed war crimes" and was responsible for coordinating with Hezbollah.

The Latakia Security Directorate said that al-Tinawi was one of the most prominent Air Force Intelligence officers, adding that he was "involved in committing war crimes against civilians, including a massacre in the Giroud area of ​​the Damascus countryside" in July 2016, Al Arabiya reports.

The Directorate also said that he "served as a coordinator" between leaders of the Lebanese Hezbollah and a number of groups in Syria, and contributed to providing support to them.

It added that Al-Tinawi’s case was referred to the Public Prosecution "to complete the investigations and legal procedures against him."

On December 8, 2024, Syrian opposition factions seized control of the country, bringing an end to 61 years of Baath Party rule and 53 years of Assad family dominance.

In the aftermath of the regime’s collapse, the new Syrian authorities launched a reconciliation initiative aimed at members of the former army and security services. The offer allowed them to regularise their status, provided they surrendered their weapons and had no involvement in bloodshed.

Tens of thousands took advantage of the initiative. However, several armed groups linked to remnants of the old regime rejected the offer, sparking clashes and prompting security operations across multiple governorates, resulting in arrests and the dismantling of some of these factions.