The Syrian General Security announced the arrest of Tariq Habib Asmandar, the former deputy commander of the Taftanaz military airbase, on charges of committing "brutal massacres" in the town of Taftanaz in the southern Idlib countryside and surrounding villages during the war.
According to preliminary information, Asmandar, who served as deputy commander of the airbase during the regime's control of the area, was accused of directly overseeing bombing operations and field executions targeting civilians between 2012 and 2016, resulting in hundreds of casualties.
The airbase, the largest helicopter airbase in the city, rained down heavy fire and vacuum bombs on neighboring villages, as well as towns in Idlib, Hama, and Aleppo provinces.
This airbase and the 63rd Brigade committed serious crimes against civilians in rebellious cities and villages by targeting them with rockets, aerial bombardment, and barrel bombs. Detachments from this brigade were deployed to all of Syria's military airbases.
*Escaped from Taftanaz Airport
In this context, Colonel Imad al-Din al-Saeed revealed that the arrested brigadier general not only committed crimes against the people of Taftanaz, but also committed crimes across all of Syria, as he was in charge of the 63rd Helicopter Brigade. The brigade consists of three squadrons: Squadron 253, a mixed squadron of Mi-17 and Mi-8 helicopters; Squadron 255, which includes Mi-8 helicopters; and Squadron 257, which includes Mi-8 helicopters.
Al-Asaad recounted that Brigadier General Asmandar fled Taftanaz Airport in a helicopter, along with eight helicopters, after the rebels took control of the airport on January 11.
With him was the criminal Brigadier General Faeq Mayassa, and they left the criminals, who were not from their sect, to face death at Taftanaz Airport under the pretext that they were going to Hama Airport to retrieve weapons and ammunition.
As a result, Asmandar and Mayassa were imprisoned by the deposed Assad regime before being released.
*Death Crows
Brigadier General Asmander's name was mentioned in a special report published by Zaman al-Wasl on May 30, 2017, under the title "Death Crows," as part of a list of helicopter pilots from the 63rd Brigade's Taftanaz and Hama airports who participated in airstrikes on civilian areas.
After the criminal Assad army failed to enter the town of Taftanaz several times, Asmander took revenge on the town's residents, killing and burning more than 100 people in the space of an hour and arresting dozens more. He was also directly responsible for the Taftanaz massacre that occurred on April 3, 2012.
According to documented activist Tamer Turkmani, the Assad regime used warplanes, artillery, and missiles. His forces also stormed the town, burning and looting homes and shops, causing massive destruction. As a result of this massacre, 65 civilians were killed and more than 25 young men were arrested.
Fares al-Rifai - Zaman al-Wasl
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