When Syrian opposition took over Idlib at the beginning of the Syrian revolution in 2011, dozens of pro-Bashar al-Assad militants and corrupt officials had fled the northern province to nearby cities, while some headed to Turkey and Europe like Yasser Salim Al-Asaad.
At the start of the revolution, Al-Asaad formed a Ba'ath battalion midway between Idlib and his town, with all of his family members volunteering in it, before eventually fleeing to Germany with two of his brothers. The battalion set up barriers, terrorizing killing and arresting the people of the area.
Our source said that Al-Asaad used to write reports on the people who took part in even one demonstration, sending persons to film videos of the participants to track them. After the area was taken from regime forces, he moved to Idlib with his brothers who then to Tartus, the stronghold of the regime’s Shabiha, while he headed to Turkey. Al-Asaad was able to enter Turkish territory through Bab al-Hawa, with the help of individuals affiliated with rebel factions, supposedly responsible for protecting the borders.
The source said that Al-Asaad paid around $15,000 to enter Turkey with his family—money that he gained through corruption and his work as a Shabiha member. He managed to arrive by sea via illegal boats to Greece a few days later, and then to Germany in 2015. Once he arrived he cleared his online presence from photos and publications that show his support for the regime, while his brothers continued to work publicly with Shabiha in Tartus, blatantly praising the regime on Facebook.
Al-Asaad is currently living in the city of Passau, in southeastern Germany, according to the source, choosing to live in an area with a small number of refugees, given his notorious reputation.
Zaman Al Wasl
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