Nearly One-third of Syrians on Wanted List of Former Regime

Syria’s Interior Ministry has said that the intelligence and security agencies under former President Bashar al-Assad had placed nearly one-third of the country’s population on a wanted list.

According to AFP, Interior Ministry spokesperson Noureddin al-Baba told a press conference in Damascus last December that over eight million people were listed for political reasons by the previous government.

Syria’s civil war began after Assad brutally cracked down on peaceful anti-government protests. Since then, millions of Syrians have faced prosecution, abuse, and human rights violations by the security forces.

Many were accused of joining protests, spreading dissent, harming the image of the state, talking to foreign groups or supporting "terrorism" in any way. Assad labeled all opposition groups and rebels as "terrorists."

Millions were jailed, many tortured and tens of thousands are still missing.

In December, an Islamist-led coalition ended Assad’s nearly 14-year-long rule, bringing an end to his family’s five decades of strict control over Syria.