Syrian internal security forces have arrested nine former military pilots in the Lattakia province, according to reports from the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA). The arrests are linked to allegations of war crimes committed during their service under the Assad government.

Brigadier General Abdulaziz al-Ahmad, the Internal Security Commander, stated that the operation was the result of extensive surveillance and intelligence-gathering efforts. He described the arrests as the culmination of a series of carefully planned security operations conducted across the province. While the state-run agency reported the arrests as a successful security action, the specific nature of the alleged war crimes and the timeline of the incidents remain largely unspecified in initial reports.

There is a notable discrepancy regarding the scope of the arrests; while SANA reports nine individuals were taken into custody, other international reporting agencies, such as AFP, have suggested a different number of detainees, specifically citing three individuals. The lack of further details regarding the specific charges or the legal process that will follow these arrests leaves the broader context of the situation unclear. The Syrian government has not yet released the names of the pilots or provided specific evidence regarding the alleged crimes.