Imad Abu Zureiq | |
|---|---|
| Born | 9 February 1979 [1] Daraa, Syria [1] |
| Allegiance | Yarmouk Army Army of the Revolution [2] Eighth Brigade [3] |
| Battles / wars | |
Imad Abu Zureiq is a Syrian rebel leader who served a key role in the Yarmouk Army, an anti-Assad group in the Free Syrian Army, until he reconciled with the Bashar al-Assad regime in 2018.
Abu Zureiq is a native of Nasib [4] and was the target of multiple assassination attempts. [5]
He joined the anti-Assad forces in 2011 and became the "security chief" for the Yarmouk Army. He reconciled with the Bashar al-Assad regime following its takeover of Southern Syria in 2018, after a brief escape to Jordan. On his return, he seized control of the Nasib Border Crossing, [6] which is located between Syria and Jordan. [7]
Abu Zureiq was sanctioned by the United States Department of the Treasury, [8] as well as the United Kingdom's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, in March 2023 over his ties to captagon smuggling. [9]
He was in charge of a raid on a farm in Maaraba, Daraa, where two people were arrested, [10] though the anti-drug enforcement of the regime was viewed skeptically. [11]
Abu Zureiq and other reconciled rebels, including Ali al-Miqdad and Moayad al-Aqra, worked under Louay al-Ali, the head of the Military Intelligence Directorate in Daraa governorate. [12] Abu Zureiq facilitated al-Ali's escape after the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024. [5]
He was present at the December 2024 victory conference in Damascus, where numerous members of the Syrian opposition met with Ahmed al-Sharaa, the new leader of Syria. [6]