Syria Arrests Main Suspect in 2013 Tadamon Massacre

Syrian authorities arrested Amjad Youssef, a former intelligence officer and main suspect in the 2013 Tadamon massacre, following a security operation in Hama's Al-Ghab Plain after he went into hiding when Bashar al-Assad's regime fell in December 2024. The April 16, 2013 massacre killed at least 41 civilians in Damascus's Tadamon district, with leaked 2022 video footage showing Youssef shooting blindfolded, bound detainees. The video's release triggered public outcry, with families recognizing victims, and prompted Syrian citizens to launch fundraising campaigns offering rewards for finding perpetrators. Human Rights Watch found human remains consistent with execution in the area and called for evidence preservation, while international efforts led to the August 2023 arrest of Youssef's associate Ahmed al-Harmouni in Germany.

Arrest of Amjad Youssef for the Tadamon Massacre

• ▪Amjad Youssef went into hiding after the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024
• ▪Amjad Youssef was arrested following a tightly executed security operation involving surveillance and tracking operations across the Al-Ghab Plain in Hama
• ▪Syrian authorities arrested Amjad Youssef, the main suspect accused of the 2013 Tadamon massacre in Damascus

2013 Tadamon Massacre and Leaked Video Evidence

• ▪At least 41 people were killed in the 2013 Tadamon massacre in Damascus
• ▪The Tadamon district was a battlefront between Syrian government forces and opposition forces at the time of the 2013 massacre
• ▪A leaked video from 2022 showed Amjad Youssef shooting civilians who had been detained and blindfolded with their hands bound

Accountability Efforts and Pursuit of Assad-Era Officials

• ▪German police arrested Ahmed al-Harmouni, a friend of Amjad Youssef accused of taking part in the Tadamon massacre, in August 2023
• ▪Human Rights Watch visited the southern Damascus neighbourhood in December 2024 and found human remains showing signs consistent with execution
• ▪Syrian citizens launched a public fundraising campaign to offer a reward to anyone who could find those accused of atrocities, primarily Amjad Youssef

Perspective of Syrian citizens and victims' families

• ▪Syrian citizens launched a public fundraising campaign to offer rewards for finding those accused of atrocities, primarily targeting Amjad Youssef