Al Bawaba
The EU places travel restrictions on several high-ranking members of the Syrian government, led by president Bashar al-Assad, including intelligence chief Mohammad Deeb Zaytoun. That apparently didn’t stop the major general from leading a delegation on a secret trip to Rome last week, though. The pro-regime newspaper Al-Watan reported that Zaytoun did just that, citing a western diplomat in Beirut.
The article claims that Zaytoun met with Italian security officials, who flew him to Rome from Beirut. It is unclear what exactly was discussed.
NOW.-which published an article on Al-Watan’s report-claims that the EU sanctioned Zaytoun in 2011. The website also notes that Al-Watan is controlled by Rami Makhlouf, a cousin to president Assad.
The visit has yet to be confirmed elsewhere. And it’s unclear what exactly the trip entailed. However, if true it would mark one of the highest profile meetings between members of Assad’s security apparatus and European counterparts since the war began in 2011.