The Alleged Handover of “Hafez Samir al-Assad” to Security Forces
Publication Date: September 18, 2026
Social media platforms have been circulating claims that the Russian Hmeimim Air Base handed over a military officer holding the rank of Captain, identified as “Hafez Samir al-Assad,” to Syrian Internal Security forces. The handover was framed as the result of “joint cooperation” between the Russian and Syrian sides. Kashaf identified a post published on September 16, 2025, claiming that “Hafez Samir al-Assad, one of the resistance leaders on the Alawite Coast, was arrested after being handed over by the Russians to Jolani’s forces.”
Identity Verification
A review of family records and the Assad family tree revealed no individual bearing the name “Hafez Samir al-Assad.” The complete absence of this name from the family tree strongly supports the hypothesis that the story was fabricated from the outset, as the alleged individual does not exist.
Technical Analysis of the Circulated Image
A technical examination of the image accompanying the claim uncovered visual details that directly contradict any connection between the person depicted and the Syrian armed forces or the Assad family:
- National Flag: The flag clearly visible on the soldier’s arm is the Cypriot national flag.
- Language and Inscription: The military uniform bears the text “ΕΘΝΙΚΗ ΦΡΟΥΡΑ” in Greek, which translates to “National Guard.”
These findings confirm that the image depicts a member of the Cyprus National Guard and was deliberately repurposed in a Syrian context to mislead audiences.
Tracking the Publication and Recycling Trail
The investigation further revealed that the circulated image is not recent — it was extracted from an older context and recycled. The same image had previously been circulated on December 10, 2024, via an account operating under the name “Global Affairs,” but under an entirely different claim asserting that “the body of Captain Hafez Samir al-Assad was found on the roadside in Latakia Governorate.”
Conclusion
The story is entirely misleading. The named individual does not exist in the Assad family tree, the image belongs to a soldier from the Cyprus National Guard, and it has been recycled from earlier false claims dating back to late 2024.
