The Syrian Ministry of Interior announced in a statement on its Telegram account that the Tartous Security Directorate had arrested "criminal Colonel Salem Iskandar Tarraf, following a meticulous monitoring and surveillance operation."
She added: "The criminal Tarraf held several leadership positions, most notably his command of the 123rd Brigade of the Republican Guard in the city of Aleppo (north), and before that, his command of the Republican Guard in Deir ez-Zor (east)."
She explained that Tarraf's name "has been linked to a number of violations and crimes, alongside the criminal Issam Zahreddine."
She continued: "During his tenure as head of the State Security Branch in the city of Al-Sanamayn in Daraa Governorate (south), he was also involved in facilitating the entry of members of the Lebanese Hezbollah militia into the area, as he had direct and close ties to those parties."
She added, "Taraf also worked to recruit and manage a group affiliated with remnants of the former regime, whose involvement in the attack that occurred last March was proven."
The Syrian Interior Ministry noted that Tarraf was referred to the Public Prosecution "in preparation for referring him to the competent judicial authorities to take the necessary legal action against him."
On March 6, the Syrian coastal region witnessed security tensions following coordinated attacks by remnants of the Assad regime—the most violent since the regime's fall—against security patrols and checkpoints, resulting in deaths and injuries.
Since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime in December 2024, the Military Operations Directorate has opened settlement centers for former regime members to surrender their weapons. However, the refusal of some members has led to clashes in several governorates.
The new Syrian administration is also working to control the country's security situation and pursue remnants of the collapsed regime who are causing security disturbances, particularly in the coastal region, a stronghold of senior officers of the Assad regime and his sect.
