Syria.. Former Interior Minister Mohammed Al-Shaar surrenders himself to the authorities

Former Syrian Interior Minister Mohammed al-Shaar surrendered himself to the authorities on Tuesday, as security campaigns continue to pursue members of Bashar al-Assad's regime.

The logo, which is subject to Western sanctions, appeared in a video that spread on social media, accompanied by members of the Syrian General Security, affiliated with the new administration, when he surrendered himself.

The former Minister of Interior in Bashar al-Assad's regime confirmed that he had surrendered himself "voluntarily," indicating in televised statements his readiness to "speak transparently" with the new authorities.

He said: "I am an open book, I will go to the leadership in Damascus to give what I have, and answer questions with transparency and clarity." Al-Shaar claimed that the Ministry of Interior "was only responsible for official prisons", and that it "does not have hidden prisons."

Former Interior Minister under the ousted Assad regime, Major General Mohammed al-Shaar, surrenders himself to the Syrian authorities #Video pic.twitter.com/YZ28nLWBC2

— Al Jazeera Syria (@AJA_Syria) February 4, 2025

Who is Mohammed Al Shaar?

Al-Shaar was born in the city of Al-Haffa in the Latakia countryside in 1950, and joined the army and armed forces in 1971, where he rose through the military ranks.

The man held several positions in the Military Intelligence Division, including security responsibility in Tripoli, Lebanon in the 1980s, the position of head of military security in Tartous, head of the Military Security Branch in Aleppo, and head of the 227th Region Branch of the Military Intelligence Division, then he assumed the presidency of the military police.

Despite reaching retirement age, he was appointed Minister of the Interior on April 14, 2011, until November 2018.

Al-Shaar was a member of the "Crisis Cell" and the only one to survive the bombing of the National Security Bureau in Damascus on July 18, 2012, which killed Defense Minister General Daoud Rajha, his deputy General Assef Shawkat, General Hassan Turkmani, and the director of the National Security Bureau, Major General Hisham Bakhtiar.

Al-Shaar is considered responsible for many crimes and violations against the Syrian people, most notably the suppression of the Syrian revolution and demonstrators by the Ministry of Interior.

Due to the crimes he committed against the Syrian people, he has been included on Western sanctions lists since mid-2011.

In 2011, the United States imposed sanctions on Assad and six other Syrian officials, including al-Shaar.

The slogan was included on the US sanctions list, which includes a travel ban, a ban on his assets and a freeze on them in the United States, and a ban on commercial dealings with him, due to the suppression of popular demonstrations in Syria.

The measure announced at the time by the US Treasury Department generally prohibits US individuals and companies from dealing with Syrian officials, including al-Shaar.

Campaign in Daraa

The Syrian security forces continue combing campaigns in a number of the country's governorates, targeting those accused of committing violations against the Syrian people.

Last Friday, the Director of Public Security in Latakia announced the arrest of Brigadier General Atef Najib, head of the Political Security Branch in Daraa.

Najib was known for committing violations that were among the main reasons for the outbreak of demonstrations demanding the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Daraa.

Source: Alhurra + Al Jazeera