Former warlord Ghazwan Al Salmoni carved a niche in the Syrian civil war, commanding an abduction and extortion ring that specialised in ambushing lorry cargo traffic near his home in the centre of the country.
He held absolute power as a commander in the National Defence Forces, a key regime-aligned militia, in the northern village of Sabburah, on the main route to a Kurdish militia stronghold in the Badia desert, which maintained business ties with the former government.
In July last year, former president Bashar Al Assad appointed Mr Al Salmoni as a parliamentarian, a reward for loyalty that provided immunity from prosecution. The status of both men evaporated when the Alawite-dominated regime was ousted five months later, replaced by Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, a former splinter group of Al Qaeda, and then a new administration.
Over the last two weeks, security forces have raided Sabburah almost daily in a hunt for Mr Al Salmoni, part of a new campaign to capture high-level personnel in the former system.
“Every stone is being turned to find Al Salmoni,” said a local lawyer, who did not want to be identified, pointing out the arrest of 40 men in Sabburah on suspicion of having information on his whereabouts.
Among them is Mr Al Salmoni’s father-in-law. His name is Tamer Al Asaad, and he was a local official in the former ruling Baath Party. Salman Huneidi, an Alawite sheikh close to the two men, was also captured. “About the only people they are not arresting are the women,” the lawyer told The National.
The campaign gathered momentum only last month, sparked partly by popular anger over perceived negligence of the issue by the government. The new government has been focused on consolidating power and dealing with challenges to its authority in outlying areas, as well as securing financial resources.
Since June 21, the authorities have announced the arrest of seven wanted men, who were either security officers or militia leaders. Four of them are Alawites while the rest are Sunnis.
Despite mass defections from the regime following the 2011 revolt against the Assad dynasty, many Sunnis remained in the security apparatus, helping Mr Al Assad in his war against their co-religionists.
Increased intelligence gathering
Thousands of people believed to be wanted for war atrocities remain at large, although the government has not made a list public. Russia, the main backer of Mr Al Assad, flew the former president and his more senior lieutenants to Moscow when the old order collapsed in December, placing them out of reach.
However, the capture of the key seven figures reflects an increase in intelligence gathering capabilities by the new central order, insiders said, pointing to the use of surveillance drones, cyber spying and a build-up of local links.
“We have only a fraction of the capacities of the former regime, but we are starting to get to these people,” said one source who has been tracking the fugitives.
Managing the campaign is a team of operatives drawn from the core of the HTS intelligence division. They are being helped by Turkish security personnel, although “the Turks are more concerned about potential insurgency threats” to their new ally in Damascus, rather than individual captures, a regional security official told The National.
These operatives had played a main role in eliminating HTS rivals in Idlib, particularly after the group's former chief, current President Ahmad Al Shara, broke off from Al Qaeda in 2014.
Of the seven, the most notorious is Waseem Al Assad, a distant cousin of the former president who ran a major narcotics cartel and the Baath Brigades militia. The Interior Ministry described him as “one of the top narcotics dealers and criminals in the bygone regime”.
But the remaining six are also well known in Syria.
Mizr Suwan was arrested last month, Syrian state media reported, while on Wednesday the Interior Ministry said Brig Gen Rami Ismail, “responsible for many violations against civilians” as head of Air Force Intelligence in Latakia and Tartous, was arrested while attempting to flee Syria.
Brig Gen Ismail and Waseem Al Assad, both Alawites, have been captured because Sunni informants they once collaborated with have turned against them, the sources said. Mr Al Salmoni could fall the same way, they added.
Hiding in cave areas
The three men were involved in illicit activity, either directly or by taking cuts from smugglers, who are mostly Sunni: Bedouins in the desert, sailors on the coast where Mr Ismail was stationed, or rural inhabitants of border areas with Lebanon that formed part of Waseem Al Assad’s drug empire.
A Syrian security official said that information provided to the authorities by smugglers was key to the capture of Waseem Al Assad on June 21, on his way to the border with Lebanon. Smugglers also told the authorities about Brig Gen Ismail’s plans to flee Syria by sea. Bedouins helped capture many of Mr Al Salmoni’s network in the last two weeks.
“They enriched themselves by working with the Alawites, but their allegiance remained Sunni,” said the official, who did not want to be named.
The two remaining Alawite officers were also arrested near the coast, the heartland of the sect. They were Maj Gen Mowaffaq Al Haidar, whose Third Tank Division manned a roadblock between Damascus and Homs that was known as the “roadblock of death”, and Col Thaer Hussein, an assistant head warden at Sednaya Prison. He was captured in a “precise operation”, according to the ministry.
The mobile phones of the two men were hacked, the sources said. They were also relatively easy prey because they hid in built-up areas of the coast.
The three Sunni ex-officers were also captured quite easily. They had returned to their home regions but were unable to find allies to sustain them, the sources said.
Col Ziad Kokash, one of the three, was handed over by two of his cousins in his home village of Termanin in Idlib province, a source said. The Interior Ministry said Col Kokash was “involved in war crimes” and even volunteered after his retirement from the army in a division that attacked rebel areas.
Of the thousands of former Alawite commanders, many had taken refuge in the wooded and cave areas of the mountain overlooking the Mediterranean, known as Jurd.
Despite an increased use of drones, the security forces have had little success in Jurd areas, even during a coastal incursion in March in which HTS-allied forces killed at least 1,300 Alawite civilians.
The impregnability of the area has prompted the authorities to seek information from a large pool of ex-officers who have returned to their homes and have shown no resistance to the new order.
One such case is that of former Air Force Brig Gen Gazi Salman, who has been arrested several times in his home village of Marana. The town is known, even among Alawite circles, for its close ties to the ruling class, with many of its men becoming officers since the 1960s.
However, Brig Gen Salman was in charge of maintenance, another former officer said. His repeated arrests have been purely to extract information from him about “more important officers”, such as their phone numbers and possible hiding places.
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
LIVING IN...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand
UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
A cheaper choice
Vanuatu: $130,000
Why on earth pick Vanuatu? Easy. The South Pacific country has no income tax, wealth tax, capital gains or inheritance tax. And in 2015, when it was hit by Cyclone Pam, it signed an agreement with the EU that gave it some serious passport power.
Cost: A minimum investment of $130,000 for a family of up to four, plus $25,000 in fees.
Criteria: Applicants must have a minimum net worth of $250,000. The process take six to eight weeks, after which the investor must travel to Vanuatu or Hong Kong to take the oath of allegiance. Citizenship and passport are normally provided on the same day.
Benefits: No tax, no restrictions on dual citizenship, no requirement to visit or reside to retain a passport. Visa-free access to 129 countries.
Gender pay parity on track in the UAE
The UAE has a good record on gender pay parity, according to Mercer's Total Remuneration Study.
"In some of the lower levels of jobs women tend to be paid more than men, primarily because men are employed in blue collar jobs and women tend to be employed in white collar jobs which pay better," said Ted Raffoul, career products leader, Mena at Mercer. "I am yet to see a company in the UAE – particularly when you are looking at a blue chip multinationals or some of the bigger local companies – that actively discriminates when it comes to gender on pay."
Mr Raffoul said most gender issues are actually due to the cultural class, as the population is dominated by Asian and Arab cultures where men are generally expected to work and earn whereas women are meant to start a family.
"For that reason, we see a different gender gap. There are less women in senior roles because women tend to focus less on this but that’s not due to any companies having a policy penalising women for any reasons – it’s a cultural thing," he said.
As a result, Mr Raffoul said many companies in the UAE are coming up with benefit package programmes to help working mothers and the career development of women in general.
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE v IRELAND
All matches start at 10am, and will be played in Abu Dhabi
1st ODI, Friday, January 8
2nd ODI, Sunday, January 10
3rd ODI, Tuesday, January 12
4th ODI, Thursday, January 14
'Shakuntala Devi'
Starring: Vidya Balan, Sanya Malhotra
Director: Anu Menon
Rating: Three out of five stars
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Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
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PRISCILLA
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More on animal trafficking
Race card
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m
6pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-1 Listed (PA) Dh230,000 (T) 1,600m
6.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,400m
7pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 (T) 2,400m
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
Where to buy art books in the UAE
There are a number of speciality art bookshops in the UAE.
In Dubai, The Lighthouse at Dubai Design District has a wonderfully curated selection of art and design books. Alserkal Avenue runs a pop-up shop at their A4 space, and host the art-book fair Fully Booked during Art Week in March. The Third Line, also in Alserkal Avenue, has a strong book-publishing arm and sells copies at its gallery. Kinokuniya, at Dubai Mall, has some good offerings within its broad selection, and you never know what you will find at the House of Prose in Jumeirah. Finally, all of Gulf Photo Plus’s photo books are available for sale at their show.
In Abu Dhabi, Louvre Abu Dhabi has a beautiful selection of catalogues and art books, and Magrudy’s – across the Emirates, but particularly at their NYU Abu Dhabi site – has a great selection in art, fiction and cultural theory.
In Sharjah, the Sharjah Art Museum sells catalogues and art books at its museum shop, and the Sharjah Art Foundation has a bookshop that offers reads on art, theory and cultural history.
TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
SPECS
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Short-term let permits explained
Homeowners and tenants are allowed to list their properties for rental by registering through the Dubai Tourism website to obtain a permit.
Tenants also require a letter of no objection from their landlord before being allowed to list the property.
There is a cost of Dh1,590 before starting the process, with an additional licence fee of Dh300 per bedroom being rented in your home for the duration of the rental, which ranges from three months to a year.
Anyone hoping to list a property for rental must also provide a copy of their title deeds and Ejari, as well as their Emirates ID.
