Syrian war crimes suspect is a tourist in Dubai

​​Zaman Al-Wasl obtained photos and footage showing a war criminal from the pro-Russia auxiliary forces as a tourist in the UAE city of Dubai.

 Saqr Shaheen, 49, a senior leader in the Russia-backed 25th Special Task Force Division, (formerly Tiger Forces), arrived in Dubai last week on a tourist and family trip where his wife resides and runs his business, according to well-informed sources.

Shaheen's visit was not the first to the UAE, sources said.

Shaheen was one of the first militants of the "25th Special Tasks Division", which was led by notorious Brig. Gen Suhail al-Hassan, nicknamed "The Tiger", as he enjoys a very strong relationship With al-Hassan and close associates of the Russian forces.

Shaheen formed his own militia called "The Al-Shawaheen Regiment", the first unit of Russia's auxiliary "25th Division" forces that may join the Russian army in its war on Ukraine.

Shaheen, dubbed: Al-Saffah or the slaughterer, has participated in all the battles of the Division 25 special missions in northern and eastern Syria, including Idlib, Aleppo, Lattakia, and Deir Ezzor.  He played with his militia a major role in the assault on the town of Maarat al-Numan in January 2020.

Last May, Zaman al-Wasl published photos showing Shaheen alongside Samer Ismail, commander of the Al-Haidar Regiment" of the "25th Division" who is listed on the US sanctions under the Caesar Act.

Al-Shaheen hails from the town of Talkalakh on Syria-Lebanon border with Lebanon, in the western countryside of Homs.

When the spark of pro-democracy demonstrations erupted in Talkalakh in early 2011, Shaheen vowed to burn the town that revolted against the Assad regime, such a vow seems to be fulfilled in regard to his bloody militant act, 

local activists told Zaman al-Wasl.