Informed sources revealed that Lieutenant Colonel Bassam Hamidan Arsan, a prominent leader in the auxiliary militias, arrived in the Netherlands several months ago from Erbil and is currently residing in Rotterdam.
Arsan hails from the town of Al-Muhassan in the Deir ez-Zor countryside. He is the son of Major General Hamidan Arsan, head of the Tribal Affairs Bureau within the National Security Bureau, which is affiliated with Ali Mamlouk.
Military Record and Early Violations
Bassam Arsan's name first came to prominence in early 2012 when he was serving as a first lieutenant in the Damascus countryside. Testimonies confirm that he was among the first officers to issue direct orders to shell residential areas in the cities of Douma and Harasta using tanks to suppress peaceful demonstrations at the time.
Militia Leadership and Control of Roads
Arsan later rose to occupy sensitive leadership positions, most notably:
- Commander of the National Defense Forces militia in Hasakah: where he oversaw military operations and recruitment for the auxiliary groups.
- The official in charge of the "Athriya" checkpoints: He oversaw the vital road leading to Raqqa, an area notorious for widespread violations against civilians and travelers.
Leaving and Reaching Europe
After years of fieldwork and close ties to the Assad regime's security apparatus through his father's influence in the National Security Bureau, Al-Arsan left for Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan. From there, he successfully reached the Netherlands, raising legal questions about how he bypassed European security checks.
Zaman Al Wasl
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