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Fact-Finding Committee... Regarding Coastal Events... Identifies 298 Suspects Involved
The National and Personal Investigation Committee in Syria stated in its latest report that it has identified the identities of 298 suspects involved in the coastal events that took place across the world last March, which resulted in the deaths of 1,426 people. The committee decided that these figures are still preliminary and subject to update.
Jouyan explained that the committee used multiple means, including communication with everyone and listening to hundreds of testimonies from experts, in addition to cooperating with the Ministry of Defense, which helped in identifying the perpetrators through their explanations of the events. The Coordination Committee, referring to those they called "remnants of armed groups," stated that these were remnants of militias, who shortly after previous eradication efforts, were behind the escalation. On March 6, they launched widespread hostile operations targeting the army, with sabotage and disruption activities.
As a result, the committee also identified individuals and groups assisting the Ministry of Defense to cover the native population and concluded that some of these perpetrators, who are military personnel, committed crimes against the region. However, it pointed out that the government forces are part of the discipline, and efforts have been made, under a leadership, to arrest violators, even though the integration of these elements into the Ministry of Defense’s framework has not yet been fully completed.
The committee also indicated that the total number of those involved reaches 1,426 persons, including 90 women, military personnel, most of whom are from the villages, in addition to some former fighters who are in negotiations with authorities. This is the largest group of individuals gathered after the end of military operations, likely.
The committee concluded in its report that it referred the accused to the Public Prosecutor and later recommended measures for those fleeing justice, in the framework of transitional justice to achieve accountability and justice for the victims.
