Key Suspect in Tadamon Massacre Arrested in Syria
A key suspect in one of the most notorious killings of the Syrian civil war has been arrested. Syria’s interior minister confirmed the news. The suspect is Amjad Youssef.
A Notorious Killing
He was wanted over the mass killing of civilians in April 2013. The massacre happened in the Tadamon district of Damascus.
The Video That Shocked the World
Footage emerged in 2022. It showed Syrian soldiers leading victims to a pit. The victims were bound and blindfolded. Soldiers then shot them. The video became a key piece of evidence. It showed extrajudicial killings by then government forces.
Interior Minister Anas Khattab said Youssef was the main perpetrator. He was taken into custody after a “well-executed” security operation. Syria’s state news agency said he was detained in Hama province.
Bloodied After Arrest
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) published footage. It appeared to show Youssef after his arrest. He sat in a police car. His nose and forehead were bloodied.The Tadamon killings attracted worldwide attention. The video was filmed by the perpetrators themselves. It was leaked nine years later. Victims were led one by one to the pit and shot.
