Key Suspect in 2013 Baniyas Mass Killings Apprehended by Syrian Authorities

Syrian authorities have arrested a suspect implicated in the 2013 mass killing of civilians in the coastal city of Baniyas, according to state media reports. Intelligence officials apprehended Ali Kayali, also known as Mihrac Ural, as he was attempting to cross the border, the state news agency SANA announced on Thursday. Kayali has long been under suspicion for his significant role in the killings of civilians in Baniyas and the adjacent village of Bayda, located in western Syria. During the events of 2013, he commanded an armed group that was loyal to the then-president, Bashar al-Assad.