Suspected Syrian pro-government fighter goes on trial in the Netherlands

A suspected Syrian pro-government militia member on trial in the Netherlands on Thursday refused to answer any questions from judges about allegations that he was involved in the arrest and torture of at least two people in Syria in 2012. The 35-year-old man, identified only as Mustafa A., faces charges of war crimes and crimes again humanity for arresting at least two people and handing them over to Syrian Air Force intelligence officials who ran a prison where they were tortured. It is the first Dutch war crimes trial of a suspect accused of fighting on the side of the government of President Bashar al-Assad during the Syrian conflict.