Major General Akram Salloum al-Abdullah Arrested for Crimes at Sednaya Prison
Published on October 22, 2025
In a significant development, Syrian authorities have apprehended Major General Akram Salloum al-Abdullah, a former military official implicated in grave human rights violations, including the execution of detainees at the infamous Sednaya prison during the regime of former President Bashar al-Assad.
The Syrian Interior Ministry announced the arrest on Wednesday, revealing that the operation was conducted by the counterterrorism branch in the Damascus province. Al-Abdullah is noted for his role as the Commander of the Military Police at the Ministry of Defence from 2014 to 2015, a period marked by severe human rights abuses.
Allegations of Serious Violations
The Interior Ministry’s statement specifically accused al-Abdullah of being "directly responsible for carrying out the executions of detainees" during his command at Sednaya military prison. This facility, located near Damascus, has been described as a "human slaughterhouse" by rights organizations, reflecting the extreme atrocities committed within its walls.
A Dark Chapter in Syria’s History
Amnesty International has documented widespread murder, torture, enforced disappearances, and extermination at Sednaya prison since the onset of the Syrian war in 2011. Their 2017 report categorized these actions as crimes against humanity, which were substantiated by a 2014 Human Rights Watch report highlighting mass deaths and brutal conditions experienced by former detainees.
According to the Association of Detainees and Missing Persons of Sednaya Prison, approximately 30,000 individuals were detained in the facility since 2011, with only around 6,000 released. The fate of the others remains unknown, with many presumed missing or deceased.
Accountability for War Crimes
Diab Serriya, co-founder of the detainees’ association, emphasized that al-Abdullah is the highest-ranking official arrested in connection with Sednaya prison to date. He stated, "The military police were in charge of the prison, and the period under Abdullah’s leadership saw numerous executions and acts of torture against prisoners." Serriya pointed out that the notorious "salt rooms," used for storing bodies before mass burial, were established during al-Abdullah’s command.
Reports from Syria’s Civil Defence, known as the White Helmets, indicate that between 50 to 100 executions occurred daily within Sednaya prison, primarily targeting political prisoners opposing al-Assad’s regime. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimates that over 200,000 individuals have died in Syrian prisons due to executions and torture.
This arrest marks a crucial step towards accountability for the atrocities committed during the Assad regime and highlights the ongoing struggle for justice in Syria. As investigations continue, the international community remains watchful for further developments in this critical human rights issue.
