Jamil Hassan, a notorious figure in Bashar al-Assad’s Syrian regime known for torturing and killing civilians, was visibly trembling as he descended the stairs of his apartment building. Accompanied by his family and a few security guards, the 72-year-old hastily packed a few suitcases into a car in a small convoy.
Witnessed by a neighbor and her teenage son, Hassan’s abrupt departure led the neighbor to believe that Assad’s regime was crumbling. Upon entering Hassan’s abandoned apartment a few days later, signs of their hurried exit were evident everywhere.
Leftover half-eaten carrot cake in the fridge, clothes scattered on beds, and wilted flowers in a vase painted a picture of the family’s sudden departure. A framed photo of Hassan and Assad hung on the wall, with a caption reading: “Our skies are for us and forbidden to others.”
Hassan, known as “the butcher” by locals, was a feared enforcer in Assad’s regime, overseeing detention facilities where torture was routine. Like many other senior regime figures, Hassan fled his affluent home in Damascus, leaving behind a trail of uncertainty and fear.
Rebels aligned with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) now occupy Hassan’s former residence, with a note on the door warning against entry. The search for these fugitive regime figures is challenging, as they may seek refuge abroad and escape justice.
Neighbors on Hassan’s once-quiet street in Damascus recall living in fear of the wanted war criminal. Hassan faces charges in the US, France, and Germany for his role in torturing detainees and suppressing protests. Witnesses describe him as unapproachable, always surrounded by guards, and maintaining a strict, authoritarian demeanor.
The abandoned guard post outside Hassan’s building serves as a grim reminder of his reign of terror. Residents speak of living in fear, forced to comply with his oppressive rules and facing consequences if they spoke out against him. With Hassan now on the run, the neighborhood breathes a collective sigh of relief, hoping for a new era of peace and justice. BBC “No one believed this would ever happen.”
Guns on sofas and underground swimming pools
Hussam Luka, head of the General Security Directorate (GSD), was not well-known among residents but had an apartment underneath Hassan.
His nickname “the spider” was earned due to his “ruthless, smooth-talking nature” and he is under sanctions in the EU, US, and UK.
According to a UK sanctions list, he was responsible for torturing opponents in custody, while the US Treasury Department claims he committed massacres while working in Homs.
The White House has stated that he may have information about missing American journalist Austin Tice.
Rebels were seen dismantling furniture at his home after looters had already taken valuable items.
A photo of Luka and Assad remains in the apartment, along with documents and medals.
As rebels clear the apartment, a neighbor who doesn’t interact with others in the building walks in to see what’s happening.
In affluent areas, more homes have been abandoned, with rebels using them as bases and preventing looting.
Some apartments have been taken over by rebels, with guns propped against plush furniture.
One home has an underground swimming pool and belongs to a well-known businessman sanctioned by the US, UK, and EU for supporting the Syrian regime.
In the master bedroom, two golden safes designed for watches, a forgotten warranty card, and empty gun cases and jewelry boxes were found.
The children’s bedrooms still have toys and a Louis Vuitton handbag, with a Quran inscribed as a gift from President Bashar al-Assad.
One of Assad’s closest associates, Ali Mamlouk, has a home padlocked shut, with rebels hesitant to enter.
Many want justice for the senior regime figures in Syria, with the leader of HTS vowing to pursue them. BBC Aquellos buscados en otro lugar tienen lugares limitados a los que huir.
Encontrar a los hombres será un desafío.
“Si bien no hay información confirmada sobre el paradero actual de figuras del régimen como Jamil Hassan, Ali Mamlouk y otros, existen preocupaciones de que dichas personas puedan beneficiarse de acuerdos políticos que les permitan evadir la justicia”, dice el Centro Sirio para los Medios y la Libertad de Expresión (SCM) a la BBC.
“Es probable que algunos hayan buscado refugio en países aliados, complicando los futuros esfuerzos de extradición, mientras que otros aún podrían estar en Siria, viviendo discretamente.”
En la calle de Hassan, los vecinos especulan sobre a dónde ha ido el criminal de guerra desaparecido.
Su familia no dejó muchas pistas en el apartamento. Pero en la oficina hay un certificado para la hija de Hassan firmado por Hassan Nasrallah, el difunto líder del grupo militante chií libanés Hezbollah, agradeciéndole por su “ayuda y apoyo para esta honorable resistencia”.
Varios vecinos sugieren que podría estar escondido en Líbano o haber transitado por allí, mientras que el tendero local dice que cree que Hassan se dirigió hacia la costa, quizás a Latakia en el norte, el corazón de la secta minoritaria alauita a la que pertenecen Assad y muchos de sus aliados más cercanos.
Mientras tanto, el periódico libanés Nida al-Watan informa que Mamlouk fue contrabandeado a través de la frontera y llegó a la capital libanesa, Beirut, por Hezbollah, un aliado de larga data del gobierno Ba’ath de Siria.
Hezbollah no ha confirmado que haya ofrecido ayuda a ninguna figura del régimen, y el gobierno libanés ha dicho que ningún funcionario sirio buscado por órdenes internacionales tenía autorización para ingresar por cruces legales. Los servicios de seguridad libaneses dicen que Mamlouk no está en el país.
El abogado sirio-británico Ibrahim Olabi dice que los funcionarios del régimen pueden haber adquirido nuevas identidades y pasaportes, ya que eran personas poderosas respaldadas por instituciones estatales.
Cuando se trata de obtener justicia, agrega, la falta de evidencia no es el problema. Se trata más de encontrarlos y llevarlos a un lugar donde puedan rendir cuentas.
El SCM dice que hacer esto “requerirá recursos considerable, voluntad política sostenida y colaboración internacional”.
No hacerlo enviará un “mensaje peligroso de que los crímenes, incluidos los crímenes de guerra y los crímenes contra la humanidad, pueden quedar impunes”, agrega.
Ibrahim Olabi dice que tiene esperanzas de que se haga justicia.
“Será absolutamente una caza”, dice, pero “el mundo ahora es un lugar pequeño a través de las redes sociales, investigadores privados, palancas políticas”.
Los vecinos de Hassan que estaban dispuestos a hablar dicen que esperan que algún día sea devuelto a Siria, lejos de su calle, para ser castigado.