_News_ | *Wassim al-Assad, cousin of the ousted president, arrested* 👇 Syrian security forces announced on Saturday the arrest of Wassim al-Assad, cousin of ousted President Bashar al-Assad, after luring him into an ambush without any clashes. He was described in their statement as a criminal known for committing numerous crimes during the former regime era and for being one of the most notorious drug traffickers.” Assad has appeared in numerous photos alongside Lebanese drug lord Nouh Zaiter, and was active in the drug trade under the cover of a customs clearance company he owned called Asad al-Sahel. He had also been placed on US and EU sanctions lists for his involvement in the Assad regime’s regional drug trafficking network. This is in addition to his role in suppressing protesters during the years of the revolution, leading a local armed gang. In a related development, General Security arrested two leaders of the Iranian-backed al-Baqir militia, Fadi Afis and Daoud Toukan. The latter is one of the bloodiest executioners of the General Intelligence Service in Deir ez-Zor during the regime's rule, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.