Former Jaysh Al-Islam spokesperson arrested in France

The former spokesperson for Jaysh Al-Islam, Islam Alloush, has reportedly been arrested in France on charges of war crimes, the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) reported on Friday.

“Following this complaint, Islam Alloush’s arrest on 29 January in Marseille, followed by an indictment, paves the way for the first investigation of the rebel armed group’s crimes. Majdi Mustafa Ne’ma, known by his nom de guerre Islam Alloush, was the spokesperson and a senior official of Jaysh al-Islam. The group numbered up to more than 20,000 fighters and carried out a reign of terror in the rebel areas it controlled, mainly in the Eastern Ghouta, until it lost control over them in April 2018,” the organization said.

The organization, which did extensive research on Alloush, said the former Jaysh Al-Islam spokesperson committed several crimes, including the forced enlishment of children in the East Ghouta region of Damascus.

FIDH also highlighted the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of the Douma 4 activists, which Jaysh Al-Islam is believed to have information about.

The organization has previously filed similar complaints about both government and opposition officials in the past; however, this is one of the first major arrests to be made.