Hezbollah’s Role in Syria Under Scrutiny in Historic Trial in Germany
On October 15, 2024, at the Higher Regional Court Stuttgart, Germany, began the first trial worldwide against a Hezbollah member for crimes committed in the Syrian conflict. The trial provides a unique opportunity to collect evidence on Hezbollah’s role in supporting Assad’s regime in the brutal war against its people.
Ammar A., a 32-year-old Syrian national, is on trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity. According to the press release by the Federal Prosecutor, he is indicted for leading a Shia militia that was pro-Assad with which he later joined Hezbollah. The militia targeted civilians in Busra al-Sham, Syria, aiming to intimidate and forcibly expel them from the regime-controlled region through violence, looting, and destruction.
Ammar A. is alleged to have participated in an attack in August 2012 on a Sunni family in their house in which one person was shot dead by a member of his militia and the house was then looted, vandalized, and set on fire. He is also presumed to have, in two separate incidents in 2013 and 2014, arrested and mistreated Sunni civilians before handing them over to the Military Intelligence Service of the Syrian Government, where the victims were tortured. One of these victims as well as the looting victim’s brother have joined the proceedings as joint plaintiffs.
SJAC will monitor the Stuttgart trial and publish summaries of each trial week here.
Opportunity to Collect Evidence on the Role of Hezbollah in the Syrian Civil War
Since the beginning of the Syrian uprising, the Assad government has used brutal violence against its critics to end peaceful protests and to intimidate the Syrian civilian population. When the situation escalated to a full-scale civil war, Syrian state forces stood against armed opposition groups.
Hezbollah played a key role in supporting Assad’s government, sending an estimated 7,000 fighters to assist regime forces against predominantly Sunni opposition groups. Initially, Hezbollah framed its intervention as a protective measure for Lebanese-Syrian dual nationals near the border but later openly defended its involvement as part of its obligation to support an “Axis of Resistance.” Hezbollah forces assumed a direct combat role, controlling the planning and conduct of operations, and securing strategic territories. The group was also involved in the devastating siege of Madaya in 2015.
Moreover, Hezbollah was imperatively involved in training pro-Assad militias, predominantly in the areas of Damascus, Homs, and Aleppo. Thereby, it has worked to create a large umbrella for Syrian Shia militias, recruiting and training them to mirror Hezbollah’s ideology and structure. By the end of 2013, these groups were increasingly visible, displaying Hezbollah symbols in propaganda materials and using the Hezbollah flag with the raised arm, rifle, and globe. The Stuttgart trial may explore the circumstances surrounding Ammar A.’s Shia militia and how it eventually joined Hezbollah. Therefore, the trial offers a unique opportunity to unveil Hezbollah’s strategies in training and coordinating the Syrian Shia militias, as well as how these groups functioned as extensions of its influence in Syria.
The territorial focus of the Stuttgart case is also significant as it highlights Hezbollah’s operations in Busra al-Sham, a region outside its typical strongholds. While Hezbollah mainly concentrated its activities along the Syrian-Lebanese border and in areas like Damascus, Aleppo, and Homs, its involvement in southern Syria, including Daraa province, reflects its expanding influence during the conflict. The Stuttgart trial may provide critical insights into Hezbollah’s broader territorial strategy and its growing influence across Syria during the civil war. The evidence presented in this trial could also shed light on financial transactions tied to Hezbollah.
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