Syrian Internal Security Forces in the city of Raqqa arrested Turki al-Bouhamad at a farm in the province’s countryside during a security operation following close surveillance. The detainee is considered one of the most prominent leaders affiliated with the former regime’s militias and one of the most notorious figures in the province during the rule of the former regime. He was known for cooperating with Iranian militias affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Lebanon’s Hezbollah. Al-Bouhamad, whose real name is Turki Mukhlif al-Marei, was one of the commanders of the Tribal Fighters Forces militia, which was linked to the regime’s Military Intelligence Directorate. His name emerged during the early years of the Syrian uprising, which broke out in 2011. His group was known as the “Desert Commandos,” which belonged to the former National Defense Forces militia. His name became associated with looting, theft, and torture targeting most residents of areas where militias operated. Al-Bouhamad is seen as responsible for committing numerous crimes against residents of eastern Syria since 2017, including war crimes and forced displacement. He is viewed as a leading figure responsible for recruiting young men in the region into Iranian militias. The Syrian Memory website documented that he worked on behalf of security agencies during the early stages of the uprising and helped arrest demonstrators and sympathizers of the Free Syrian Army. In mid-2014, he and Omar al-Allawi, secretary-general of the Arab Socialist Movement, formed an armed militia called the Tribal Fighters Forces to fight alongside Bashar al-Assad’s forces in Raqqa and Deir Ezzor. The militia was linked to the Military Intelligence Directorate and reportedly received training from Russia and Hezbollah. Al-Bouhamad maintained close ties with Suheil al-Hassan and Russia, which awarded al-Hassan 15 medals and an honorary doctorate in military sciences. Al-Bouhamad fought in battles in the Damascus countryside where he was accused of committing violations and war crimes against civilians. Following his arrest on Friday, social media users widely welcomed the news. Posts also claimed that influential figures were contacting Syrian authorities to seek his release.
