Videos and reports point to detentions near Syria-Lebanon border

Report by Edmond Sassine, English adaptation by Mariella Succar

A video circulated over the past several hours alongside reports claiming that Syrian border guard units carried out an arrest operation late Friday into Saturday, detaining 12 individuals described as former officers and members linked to the previous Syrian regime.

According to the reports, the group was apprehended while attempting to cross the Syrian-Lebanese border illegally in the Talkalakh area of western Syria.

The claim was accompanied by another video showing 12 men identifying themselves by name, including one who said he was a former colonel in the Syrian army.

Lebanese and Syrian sources said the group crossed illegally through smuggling routes or unofficial crossings in the Al-Noura area of northern Lebanon, heading toward the Syrian village of Halat, located in the Tal Kalakh region.

The sources said the purpose of the group’s illegal movement has not yet been determined.

The reports come days after The New York Times published an investigative report indicating that former officers from the Assad-era Syrian military are working from abroad to reorganize their ranks, with the aim of destabilizing Syria’s new government and potentially carving out areas of influence inside the country.

The investigation was based on intercepted phone calls and text messages, as well as interviews and extensive analysis.

According to The New York Times, former Brig. Gen. Suheil al-Hassan, known as “The Tiger,” documented and registered more than 168,000 fighters in Syria’s coastal region. 

The communications reviewed by the newspaper indicated that al-Hassan was not acting alone and had received financial support from Rami Makhlouf, a powerful businessman and cousin of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The report said al-Hassan signed his correspondence with the phrase “Your servant, ranked as a fighter,” addressing someone he described as “the commander-in-chief of our army and armed forces.” Strong evidence cited by the newspaper suggests the reference was to Makhlouf.