Phone book helps locate former Syrian spy chief in hiding

A joint operation by Syrian intelligence agencies and international partners culminated this week in the capture of a man known locally as “The Spider,” a former militia commander who earned a reputation for brutal tactics during the country’s civil war. The operative, identified as 48‑year‑old Abdulrahman al‑Hussein, was apprehended in the town of Al‑Karak, near the Turkish border, after a year‑long investigation that combined satellite surveillance, intercepted communications, and a network of informants embedded in rebel-held territories.

Investigators traced al‑Hussein’s movements by analyzing encrypted messages that referenced a series of covert supply routes used to transport weapons and fighters across the Euphrates. Interrogations of captured militants revealed that “The Spider” oversaw a series of extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances in the Aleppo province between 2013 and 2017, actions that earned him the moniker among locals. The operation’s success hinged on a coordinated effort between the Syrian Ministry of Interior, the United Nations’ Monitoring Group on Syria, and a European forensic team that matched DNA evidence from recovered victims to al‑Hussein’s known relatives.

Al‑Hussein is now in custody pending formal charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Authorities say the arrest sends a clear signal that individuals responsible for severe violations will be pursued despite the passage of time, and they intend to use the case to bolster broader reconciliation and accountability initiatives across Syria.