Imad Abu Zureiq
Imad Abu Zureiq | |
|---|---|
| Born | 9 February 1979[1] Daraa, Syria[1] |
| Allegiance | Yarmouk Army Army of the Revolution[2] Eighth Brigade[3] |
| Battles / wars | |
Imad Abu Zureiq is a Syrian rebel leader who served a key role in the Yarmouk Army, an anti-Assad group in the Free Syrian Army, until he reconciled with the Bashar al-Assad regime in 2018.
Personal life
[edit]Abu Zureiq is a native of Nasib[4] and was the target of multiple assassination attempts.[5]
Activities
[edit]He joined the anti-Assad forces in 2011 and became the "security chief" for the Yarmouk Army. He reconciled with the Bashar al-Assad regime following its takeover of Southern Syria in 2018, after a brief escape to Jordan. On his return, he seized control of the Nasib Border Crossing,[6] which is located between Syria and Jordan.[7]
Abu Zureiq was sanctioned by the United States Department of the Treasury[8] as well as the United Kingdom's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, in March 2023 over his ties to captagon smuggling.[9]
He was in charge of a raid on a farm in Maaraba, Daraa, where two people were arrested,[10] though the anti-drug enforcement of the regime was viewed skeptically.[11]
Abu Zureiq and other reconciled rebels, including Ali al-Miqdad and Moayad al-Aqra, worked under Louay al-Ali, the head of the Military Intelligence Directorate in Daraa governorate.[12] Abu Zureiq facilitated al-Ali's escape after the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024.[5]
He was present at the December 2024 victory conference in Damascus, where numerous members of the Syrian opposition met with Ahmed al-Sharaa, the new leader of Syria.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Counter Terrorism Designations; Syria Designations". Office of Foreign Assets Control. 28 March 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
- ^ Walid Al Nofal (27 September 2020). "Three assassinated, three detained: Meet the most prominent 'reconciliation figures' in Syria's southern province of Daraa". Syria Direct. Translated by Mateo Nelson. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
- ^ Lemma Shehadi (29 March 2025). "Captagon smuggler welcomed by regime in Damascus despite crackdown". The National. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
- ^ Armenak Tokmajyan; Kheder Khaddour (21 March 2024). "Why Iranian Entrenchment in Southern Syria Worries Neighboring Countries". Carnegie Endowment. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
- ^ a b Tal Beeri (30 December 2024). "Southern Syria – Prominent Figures in the Rebel Leadership". Alma Research and Education Center. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
- ^ a b Ahmad Sharawi (31 December 2024). "Profiles of new Syrian military leadership". Long War Journal. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
- ^ Waleed Abu al-Khair (14 April 2023). "Al-Assad's inner circle is deeply embroiled in Captagon trade". Al-Mashareq. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
- ^ "Treasury Sanctions Syrian Regime and Lebanese Actors Involved in Illicit Drug Production and Trafficking". United States Department of the Treasury. 28 March 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
- ^ "Tackling the illicit drug trade fuelling Assad's war machine". gov.uk. 28 March 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
- ^ Haid Haid (11 July 2024). "Smoke and mirrors: The Syrian regime's dubious anti-drug campaigns". Middle East Institute. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
- ^ "Syrian regime raids on 'small-time drug dealers' a 'cynical move' to appease Arab League". The New Arab. 22 May 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
- ^ Ahmad Sharawi (3 February 2025). "Assad Is Gone, Syria's Captagon Trade Isn't". The National Interest. Retrieved 13 June 2025.