The Interior Ministry said security raids conducted over the past two days in Daraa, Aleppo and Idlib resulted in the detention of several individuals wanted for alleged involvement in abuses and security violations during Assad’s rule.

According to a ministry source cited by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), those arrested include a former commander of the First Corps, a former head of the security and military committee in southern Syria, a former officer in the Republican Guard and a former guard at Saydnaya prison, a facility long associated with allegations of torture and mistreatment of detainees.

The arrests form part of a broader campaign launched by the Syrian authorities to identify, detain and prosecute former regime figures accused of human rights violations, unlawful detentions and other offenses during more than a decade of conflict.

The latest operation follows the arrest earlier this week of Osama Mahmoud Hamouda, a former non-commissioned officer detained in the coastal province of Latakia.

Internal Security Forces said Hamouda was apprehended after an extensive surveillance operation while allegedly attempting to flee the country with assistance from criminal networks.

Authorities accuse Hamouda of supplying information to intelligence agencies, participating in arbitrary detention campaigns and engaging in financial extortion against civilians during the Assad era.

Brig. Gen. Abdul Aziz Hilal Al-Ahmad, head of Internal Security in Latakia, said investigators had been tracking Hamouda for an extended period before carrying out the arrest.

The detentions come amid broader efforts by Syria’s new authorities to establish a transitional justice framework following the collapse of the Assad government.

Attorney General Hassan Al-Turba said on Wednesday that pursuing individuals accused of major crimes was essential to restoring public trust in state institutions and advancing national reconciliation.

Speaking to SANA, Al-Turba said the Ministry of Justice was coordinating with the Interior Ministry, the National Commission for Transitional Justice and the National Commission for Missing Persons to document violations and bring suspects before the courts.

He said authorities had implemented measures to prevent wanted individuals from leaving Syria, including travel restrictions, arrest warrants issued in absentia and efforts to track fugitives through international legal mechanisms.

The attorney general added that Syrian authorities were seeking cooperation through Interpol, bilateral agreements and diplomatic channels to locate and return suspects believed to be outside the country.

Al-Turba also said witness-protection programs had been introduced to encourage testimony from victims and witnesses, while international organizations were providing technical support, training and institutional assistance to strengthen judicial processes.

“Prosecuting major criminals is not merely a judicial procedure,” Al-Turba said, describing accountability as a necessary component of transitional justice and long-term stability.

The latest arrests underscore the scale of the challenge facing Syria’s post-Assad administration as it seeks to address allegations of past abuses while balancing demands for justice, accountability and national reconciliation after years of conflict.

Founded in 1955, the institution in eastern Libya was heavily damaged during battles between jihadist groups and forces led by military commander Khalifa Haftar between 2014 and 2016, after the uprising that toppled longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi.

University president Ezzedin Younis Eddressi said in an interview that around 90 percent of the campus complex had been destroyed during the conflict and that explosives had been planted across the grounds when jihadist groups controlled the city. He also said rare manuscripts dating back centuries were looted but later recovered.

Despite the destruction, classes continued during the worst years of the fighting using alternative facilities across Benghazi, with schools shared between schoolchildren in the morning and university students in the afternoon, according to the administration.

Nearly 70,000 students now attend the university, still using temporary facilities while a new campus—covering about 600 hectares—is expected to open in the coming months. The reconstruction has been overseen by Libya’s Reconstruction Fund, which is headed by Belgacem Haftar, son of Khalifa Haftar.

Students and graduates interviewed by AFP described gradual improvements in security and infrastructure. Maryam Alrefadi, a graduate who now teaches French online, said the city had regained stability and opportunities compared to the conflict years, while current students said conditions had improved significantly despite lingering economic challenges.

Ayesha Al-Mogassbi, a 19-year-old student, said earlier years were marked by shortages and instability but added that students now aim for broader opportunities and development. Others noted that students from across Libya, including Tripoli, are studying together, reflecting a sense of national cohesion despite the country’s political divisions.

Libya remains split between rival administrations in the east and west, though university officials emphasized plans to maintain open access and international academic partnerships as part of long-term rebuilding efforts.