The ministry identified the detainee as Qais Hassan al-Abd al-Rajab, a former brigadier general who previously served as deputy director of the General Intelligence Directorate, also known as State Security.

According to a statement published on the Interior Ministry’s Telegram channel, al-Abd al-Rajab was detained by the Counterterrorism Directorate after what authorities described as extensive tracking operations.

He is accused of involvement in violations against residents of the Damascus countryside, including areas such as Hajar al-Aswad, Daraya and Moadamiyat al-Sham, as well as parts of Daraa province, the ministry said.

Officials said the suspect had attempted to evade arrest prior to his detention, and that investigations are ongoing ahead of legal proceedings and referral to the judiciary.

Interior Minister Anas Khattab said in earlier remarks that security forces continue to pursue individuals accused of crimes committed under the former Assad administration as part of wider accountability efforts.

He added that intelligence and internal security units were conducting surveillance and enforcement operations aimed at bringing suspects before the courts.

The arrest comes amid ongoing efforts by Syrian authorities to investigate alleged abuses committed during the Assad era, including broader transitional justice measures and attempts to document violations against civilians.

State media, citing security officials, said the grave was discovered in the Sednaya area in the Damascus countryside and is believed to contain fighters who died during battles in the western Qalamoun region.

The individuals were described by authorities as “martyrs” killed in 2014 fighting between opposition forces and militias aligned with the then Assad administration.

Security forces were seen inspecting the site, according to images released by state media, which showed personnel working at the location where remains were found.

The announcement comes amid ongoing efforts by Syrian authorities to document wartime events and investigate sites linked to past conflict-era violence.

Officials did not immediately provide details on the number of remains recovered or the process for identification, and further forensic work is expected to continue.

The shutdown affected major urban centers, including the regional capital Muzaffarabad, where residents reported largely deserted markets, closed shops and inactive transport hubs. Similar conditions were reported in other towns across the territory.The strike followed violent confrontations on Sunday in the city of Rawalakot between JAAC supporters and security personnel.

According to authorities, seven people were killed in the unrest, marking one of the deadliest episodes of political violence in the region in recent years.The clashes erupted after the Supreme Court of Pakistan-administered Kashmir ruled that 12 legislative seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees residing in Pakistan are constitutionally protected and cannot be abolished without a formal constitutional amendment.

The JAAC, an alliance established in 2003, has campaigned for expanded political rights for residents of the territory and has long demanded the elimination of the refugee seats. The group argues that the arrangement grants disproportionate political influence to individuals who do not live within the territory.

Residents told local media that public participation in Tuesday’s strike was difficult to assess, with some people appearing to support the shutdown while others remained indoors due to concerns over potential violence.Prior to Sunday’s clashes, the JAAC had announced plans for a strike and a long march from Rawalakot to Muzaffarabad.

Witnesses said thousands of supporters gathered in the eastern city of Mirpur on Tuesday in preparation for the planned mobilization.Authorities responded by deploying additional police and security personnel throughout the region.

Internet services were also suspended in several major cities in an effort to limit mobilization and prevent further unrest.Police and regional government officials accused armed JAAC supporters of opening fire on security forces during Sunday’s violence. The organization has not publicly responded to those allegations in the information provided.

The regional government formally banned the JAAC last week, citing concerns over public order and security. Dozens of supporters have since been detained as part of the crackdown.Regional Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore said his administration remains willing to engage in dialogue with representatives of the movement.

He stated that most of the group’s demands had been addressed during negotiations held last year, with the exception of issues relating to refugee seats and certain benefits provided to government officials and ministers.According to Rathore, those unresolved matters require legislative action because of constitutional limitations.

The refugee seats are allocated to individuals and families who migrated to Pakistan from Indian-administered Kashmir following decades of conflict over the disputed Himalayan territory. The arrangement was designed to provide representation for displaced communities affected by the region’s long-running political dispute.

Kashmir remains divided between Pakistan and India, both of which claim the territory in full. The dispute has been a central source of tension between the two nuclear-armed neighbors since their independence in 1947 and has led to multiple wars and recurring periods of instability.

Political tensions in Pakistan-administered Kashmir have intensified ahead of elections scheduled for next month, with debate over refugee representation emerging as a major issue following the recent court ruling and subsequent unrest.

The violence erupted after supporters of the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), a movement advocating economic and governance reforms, pressed ahead with planned demonstrations despite being outlawed by authorities under anti-terrorism legislation.

Sardar Waheed, the top civilian official in Rawalakot, said three civilians were killed and about 40 others wounded during the clashes.

Police said four officers were also killed and 23 injured, bringing the overall death toll to seven.

Authorities moved against the organization over the weekend, sealing its central office and imposing restrictions on large public gatherings in Muzaffarabad, the largest city in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

Police confirmed that more than 70 JAAC members were arrested during operations carried out ahead of the planned protests.

Despite fears of wider unrest, markets in Muzaffarabad reopened on Monday under a heavy security presence. Residents had earlier rushed to stockpile supplies amid concerns that demonstrations and possible shutdowns would disrupt daily life.

JAAC leaders rejected the government’s decision to classify the group as a terrorist organization, describing the move as political repression and insisting their campaign is focused on legitimate demands for economic relief, political accountability and governance reforms.

The latest confrontation follows a similar wave of unrest in September, when protests led by the group triggered days of clashes that left nine people dead.

Pakistan-administered Kashmir has witnessed periodic demonstrations in recent years over inflation, electricity costs, governance issues and demands for greater political representation.

The Himalayan region of Kashmir remains one of South Asia’s most sensitive territorial disputes. Both India and Pakistan claim the region in full but administer separate portions following their partition and independence from British rule in 1947.

The State Security Court said it unanimously issued a final ruling against the defendant, finding him guilty of assaulting law enforcement personnel tasked with enforcing narcotics laws, resulting in the deaths of three officers and injuries to another.

According to the court’s statement, the accused was convicted on multiple charges related to the attack and received the harshest penalty available under Jordanian law, a sentence of capital punishment.

The case stems from a March 18 security operation conducted by Jordan’s Anti-Narcotics Department. During the raid, three officers were killed and a fourth was wounded before authorities arrested the suspect and seized quantities of drugs and weapons, according to the Public Security Directorate.

While Jordan’s legal system continues to permit capital punishment, executions have effectively been suspended for years. The last known executions were carried out in 2017, when authorities hanged 15 convicted prisoners, including 10 found guilty of terrorism-related offenses.

The ruling comes as Jordan faces mounting challenges linked to drug trafficking and cross-border smuggling. Authorities have significantly increased enforcement efforts in recent years amid concerns over the kingdom’s role as a transit route for narcotics destined for regional markets.

Jordanian officials say the vast majority of drugs seized within the country are intended for smuggling beyond its borders rather than domestic consumption. Government figures show that security agencies arrested more than 38,000 individuals last year in over 25,000 cases involving drug use, trafficking and smuggling.

Security forces have also stepped up operations along Jordan’s lengthy frontier with Syria, where the military regularly reports intercepting attempts to smuggle narcotics, particularly captagon pills, into or through the kingdom.

Captagon trafficking expanded significantly during the Syrian conflict and became one of the region’s most lucrative illicit trades during the rule of former Syrian president Bashar Assad. Jordan has repeatedly cited drug smuggling as a major national security concern and has intensified cooperation between military and law enforcement agencies to curb the flow of narcotics.

The court’s decision reflects the increasingly hard-line approach adopted by Jordanian authorities toward drug-related crimes, particularly cases involving violence against security personnel engaged in counter-narcotics operations.

Pakistani officials said the attack occurred on Sunday when a bomber drove an explosives-laden vehicle into a shuttle train carrying security personnel and their families, derailing several coaches and triggering extensive destruction in nearby civilian areas.

The separatist Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the bombing, the latest in a string of militant attacks in Balochistan, a strategically significant province bordering Iran and Afghanistan that hosts key Chinese-backed infrastructure projects including Gwadar port.

As rescue teams and residents continued clearing debris ahead of the Eid holiday, many families said celebrations had given way to grief and financial hardship.

“I appeal to the government to help me. My entire house, from top to bottom, has been destroyed,” said Hishrat, a resident whose home was severely damaged in the blast. She said the family had spent years saving money to build the property.

The explosion damaged homes, overturned vehicles and shattered nearby buildings, according to local authorities and images broadcast from the site. Officials said the train’s engine and several coaches were derailed in the attack.

Markets in Quetta remained active with Eid shoppers and livestock traders, but residents in the affected neighborhoods said the destruction had made holiday preparations impossible.

“People are roaming in the markets for Eid shopping and for purchasing animals for sacrifice, but for us, you see our condition,” said Muhammad Haseeb, a private-sector employee whose house was damaged in the blast.

“We are busy cleaning up our destroyed house. The explosion destroyed our entire neighborhood including our house. There has been a great deal of financial and human loss,” he added.

Another resident, Farooq, said the attack had erased any sense of festivity for many affected families.
“Eid is for those whose houses are intact and who can go shopping,” he said. “We also had to do shopping for Eid, but now that is impossible, because our house is destroyed.”

Balochistan has witnessed a decades-long separatist insurgency led by militant groups accusing the federal government of exploiting the province’s natural resources without adequately sharing economic benefits with the local population. Pakistani authorities reject the allegations and say security operations are aimed at restoring stability and protecting development projects.

The Baloch Liberation Army has intensified attacks in recent years against security forces, rail infrastructure and Chinese-linked investments in the province. In March last year, militants hijacked the Jaffar Express passenger train and held hundreds of passengers hostage before security forces ended the siege.

The latest bombing underscores the persistent security challenges facing Pakistan as authorities attempt to contain militant violence while safeguarding major regional connectivity and energy projects tied to China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

The explosion occurred as the train was passing through the Chaman Pattak area of Quetta on its journey from Quetta to Peshawar. According to a senior official, an explosives-laden vehicle rammed one of the train’s carriages, triggering a powerful blast that derailed part of the train and caused extensive damage.

Army personnel were among those killed in the attack, while many of the wounded were transported to local hospitals for treatment. Officials said several passengers were traveling to celebrate the upcoming Eid holiday, scheduled to begin on Tuesday.

Images from the scene showed a mangled carriage lying on its side beside the tracks as rescue workers, volunteers and security personnel searched for survivors. Bloodied passengers were carried away on stretchers while armed forces secured the area and emergency teams worked through the wreckage.

Witnesses described scenes of panic following the blast. Resident Mohammad Rahim said he and his family were awakened by a loud explosion that shook nearby buildings. Another witness, Abdul Basit, said people immediately ran for cover as the force of the blast reverberated through the neighborhood.

Authorities said nearby vehicles were damaged and train windows were blown out by the explosion. A police official told AFP that investigators believe the improvised explosive device used in the attack weighed approximately 35 kilograms.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing. Police and security agencies have launched an investigation into the incident.

The attack occurred in Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province by area and one of its least developed regions. The province has long been the center of a separatist insurgency, with armed groups accusing the federal government of failing to adequately share the benefits of the region’s natural gas reserves and mineral wealth.

Security forces have faced persistent attacks in Balochistan in recent years, targeting military personnel, infrastructure and transportation networks. The province borders both Iran and Afghanistan and occupies a strategically important position along regional trade and energy corridors.

The blast occurred in the Bab Sharqi district of the Syrian capital while army personnel were dismantling another explosive device discovered near the same location, the ministry said in a statement.

According to the ministry, “a car bomb exploded in the same area, resulting in the martyrdom of one soldier and injuries to others.”

A source from Syria’s civil defense services said at least one person had been killed in the explosion, though casualty figures had not been independently confirmed.

An AFP correspondent at the scene reported hearing a powerful explosion before witnessing a vehicle engulfed in flames near the defense-related building. Security forces quickly sealed off the surrounding area and deployed heavily across the neighborhood.

Authorities have not publicly identified those responsible for the attack, and no group immediately claimed responsibility.

The incident underscores ongoing security challenges in Syria despite a relative reduction in large-scale fighting following years of civil war and political instability.

Damascus has periodically experienced bombings, targeted attacks and security operations involving militant cells, particularly around government and military facilities.

The attack targeted troops from the Frontier Corps in southwestern Pakistan, where separatist violence has intensified in recent years amid insurgent campaigns against security forces, infrastructure projects and foreign-linked energy investments.

A senior security official told AFP that an explosive device detonated near the convoy before militants opened fire, triggering an armed confrontation.“Five soldiers were killed and another was critically wounded,” the official said.

Pakistan’s military said troops launched a follow-up operation after identifying the militants’ location.“During the operation, a group of terrorists was located and engaged by troops. During fire exchange seven terrorists were killed,” the army’s media wing said in a statement.

The Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the assault. The separatist group, designated a terrorist organization by the United States, has waged a long-running insurgency seeking greater autonomy and control over Balochistan’s natural resources.

The BLA has increasingly targeted Pakistanis from other provinces working in Balochistan as well as foreign companies involved in mining, transport and energy projects linked to regional development initiatives.

Violence in the province escalated sharply last year when separatist militants hijacked a passenger train carrying around 450 people, leading to a two-day siege that left multiple casualties.

Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but least populated province, borders Iran and Afghanistan and remains strategically significant due to its mineral wealth and access to the Arabian Sea.

Pakistan’s foreign ministry said evidence gathered through a detailed investigation and technical intelligence indicated that the attack was “masterminded by terrorists residing in Afghanistan,” following a coordinated assault on Saturday involving a car bombing and a subsequent ambush targeting responding security forces.

The attack occurred in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province near the Afghan border, an area that has witnessed repeated militant violence in recent years. Images released after the incident showed the police post reduced to rubble.

In a statement, the foreign ministry said a senior Afghan diplomat had been summoned and formally presented with a strong demarche over the attack. Islamabad warned that it would not compromise on national security if militant groups continued to find sanctuary across the border.

“The Afghan Taliban regime has also been categorically informed that, if it continues to harbor these terrorist organizations, Pakistan will not compromise on its national security or on the safety and protection of its citizens,” the ministry said.

Deputy Taliban spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat told Reuters the Afghan government had no immediate comment on Pakistan’s allegations.

Islamabad has repeatedly accused the Taliban-led administration in Kabul of allowing militants to use Afghan territory to plan and launch attacks inside Pakistan, a charge the Taliban denies. Afghan authorities maintain that Pakistan’s militancy problem is an internal matter.

The latest accusations threaten to further strain relations between the two neighbors after months of heightened border tensions. In February, some of the heaviest fighting in years erupted between Pakistani and Afghan forces following Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghanistan that Islamabad said targeted militant strongholds.

Security analysts say continued militant violence along the frontier risks destabilizing already fragile relations between the two countries and complicating efforts to coordinate border security and counterterrorism operations.