Militiamen Loyal to Dictator Live in Sweden

Several men who previously belonged to militia groups and military units loyal to Syria’s former president Bashar al-Assad are currently living in Sweden. This is revealed by an investigation from the state radio program Kaliber.

According to the investigation, at least 15 former militiamen and soldiers have been identified as individuals granted residency permits in Sweden. Kaliber has interviewed witnesses both in Syria and in Sweden. Several of them describe living in fear of the Assad-loyal groups during the civil war, groups now accused of serious abuses against the civilian population.

In the war-torn district of Yarmouk in southern Damascus, one of the men is identified as a former militia leader. Witnesses claim, among other things, that he was involved in kidnappings and extortion of relatives of detained individuals.

The man arrived in Sweden during the migrant crisis of 2015. Here, he has participated in integration projects, worked at a fast-food restaurant, and was convicted of biting a police officer during an apprehension.

The investigation is based on testimony, information from social media, and material from Swedish police investigations. Several of the identified men are suspected by witnesses of having participated in or been linked to murders, rapes, and other serious abuses during the war in Syria. However, those named have not been convicted of these crimes in Swedish courts, and one of the men denies the allegations as untrue.

Part of a Broader Mapping

The information has raised questions about how individuals with suspected ties to war crimes could obtain residency in Sweden. At the same time, experts and law enforcement authorities point to the significant difficulties in investigating and prosecuting crimes committed in a war-torn country far outside Sweden’s borders. Evidence is often hard to secure, and many witnesses are still in conflict areas or in exile.

The issue has gained further attention following the fall of the Assad regime at the end of 2024. Since then, efforts to document abuses and identify suspected perpetrators have intensified, both internationally and in Europe.

The investigation by Kaliber is part of the broader mapping currently underway to identify individuals suspected of involvement in abuses during the Syrian conflict who later made their way to European countries.

Facts: Bashar al-Assad

Bashar al-Assad is a Syrian politician who took over the presidency after his father in 2000.

During the Syrian civil war, which began in 2011, his government was accused of widespread human rights abuses while receiving military support from Russia and Iran, among others.

In December 2024, his regime fell after a rapid rebel offensive, after which Assad left Syria and was granted asylum in Russia.