Swedish Court Acquits Ex-Syrian Army General Accused in War Crimes Role

Police work at a knife attack site in Vetlanda, Sweden March 3, 2021. TT News Agency/Mikael Fritzon.
Police work at a knife attack site in Vetlanda, Sweden March 3, 2021. TT News Agency/Mikael Fritzon.
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Swedish Court Acquits Ex-Syrian Army General Accused in War Crimes Role

Police work at a knife attack site in Vetlanda, Sweden March 3, 2021. TT News Agency/Mikael Fritzon.
Police work at a knife attack site in Vetlanda, Sweden March 3, 2021. TT News Agency/Mikael Fritzon.

A Swedish court on Thursday acquitted a former Syrian army general accused of playing a role in war crimes committed in 2012 in his home country.

Brig. Gen Mohammed Hamo, who now lives in Sweden, was charged in February with aiding and abetting crimes violating international law.

Little is known about the 65-year-old Hamo. He defected from the Syrian army in July 2012 and joined those fighting to remove President Bashar Assad from power. Syrian opposition activists say he was involved in fighting in Baba Amr in Homs, Syria’s third largest city.

He lived in central Sweden at the time when he was arrested over his supposed participation in war crimes on December 7, 2021. A court at the time released him two days later, saying there wasn’t enough evidence to keep him incarcerated. He has since been free.

The trial at the Stockholm District Court started April 15. The last court session was May 21.



Trump Open to Meeting Iran's Leaders

President Donald Trump waves as he arrives on the South Lawn of the White House, Thursday, April. 24, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)
President Donald Trump waves as he arrives on the South Lawn of the White House, Thursday, April. 24, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)
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Trump Open to Meeting Iran's Leaders

President Donald Trump waves as he arrives on the South Lawn of the White House, Thursday, April. 24, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)
President Donald Trump waves as he arrives on the South Lawn of the White House, Thursday, April. 24, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

US President Donald Trump said he was open to meeting Iran's supreme leader or the country's president, when he was asked by Time magazine in an interview on April 22 whether he would meet with either as the countries began nuclear talks.

Negotiations between Iran and the United States over Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program will return Saturday to the sultanate of Oman, where experts on both sides will start hammering the technical details of any possible deal.

The talks seek to limit Iran's nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of some of the crushing economic sanctions the US has imposed on Iran closing in on half a century of enmity. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to unleash airstrikes targeting Iran’s program if a deal isn’t reached. Iranian officials increasingly warn that they could pursue a nuclear weapon with their stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels.

Neither Iran nor the US have offered any explanation on why the talks will return to Muscat, the Omani capital nestled in the Hajar Mountains. Oman has been a mediator between the countries. Last weekend's talks in Rome offered a more-equal flight distance between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff, who are leading the negotiations.

But Rome remains in mourning after the death of Pope Francis, whose funeral will be Saturday.