Photo: DPAA German court Monday put on trial for war crimes a suspected former Syrian rebel commander accused of having tortured civilians while fighting for a militia linked to the Free Syrian Army. He allegedly joined the armed struggle against President Bashar al-Assad in 2012 and commanded a 150-strong neighbourhood militia in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo. The accused, who remained silent in court, allegedly "personally tortured" two civilians who were later released for a ransom. The suspect was arrested after one of his alleged former victims recognised him in the western German city of Münster, DPA reported. The trial in the western city of Düsseldorf is set to run until at least September.

Source: The Local May 23, 2017 06:56 UTC