Syria's transitional government has vowed to dissolve and restructure all security agencies of the toppled dictator Bashar al-Assad's regime accused of mass killings and abuses. Al-Assad, who ruled Syria for more than two decades,

Finding the remnants of the old dictatorship and bringing them to justice has emerged as a top priority for the new administration in Syria.

Clashes erupted last week in several cities across Syria between Assad supporters and the new government, which is led by Islamist rebels.

War crimes investigators, Syrian civil society and rights groups are scrambling to preserve evidence of the Assad regime’s crimes after key sites were ransacked in the chaotic aftermath of this month’s rebel victory.

Syria's new authorities have ramped up their crackdown on loyalists of the Assad regime. Rebels led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham have arrested 300, including informants, pro-regime fighters and former soldiers.