A Syrian military court in Aleppo has issued a series of rulings, including two death sentences, regarding individuals involved in deadly violence that occurred along the country’s coast in March 2025. During a hearing at the city’s Justice Palace on Thursday, the Military Criminal Court sentenced al-Waddah Ismail and Maher Ali to death. The court, as reported by state-run Alikhbaria TV, convicted both men of leading armed groups in attacks against government forces and engaging in acts designed to “provoke civil war and sectarian fighting.”
A third defendant, Maher Othman, received a 12-year prison sentence, though the specific charges leading to his conviction were not immediately disclosed. The proceedings also addressed the actions of several individuals serving under the current defence ministry. Mohammed Bakour, a member of the ministry’s 82nd Division, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for intentional homicide. Additionally, Captain Mustafa Shannan and Khaled Muhaimeed, both associated with the 54th Division, were each handed two-year prison terms for their involvement in torture, while Mahmoud Shaheen, also a ministry member, was sentenced to two months for causing bodily harm.
In the same set of rulings, the court acquitted two other defendants, Abdul Raouf Bakr Jan and Mohammed Louay Zarzouri, who served in the 50th and 54th divisions, respectively. The judges cited “insufficient evidence” regarding the intentional homicide charges brought against them.
These legal proceedings, which began publicly in Aleppo in November 2025, target former regime members and personnel currently under the defence ministry accused of abuses during the unrest. The March 2025 violence was sparked when armed groups loyal to ousted president Bashar al Assad targeted security forces in the provinces of Latakia and Tartus, resulting in widespread civilian and security personnel casualties. Defendants in these trials have faced a range of charges, including homicide, theft, incitement to sectarian strife, and attacking security forces. On September 17, the same court previously sentenced one defendant to death, another to life imprisonment, and a third to 20 years, while acquitting a fourth.
