The Syrian parliament building, on the day of newly formed People's Assembly inaugural session, the first parliament session since the end of the rule of ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in Damascus, Syria, July 12, 2026. (Credit: Khalil Ashawi/ Reuters)
BEIRUT — Lebanese authorities have arrested a former Syrian army officer wanted under an arrest warrant issued by Damascus, who is accused of "murders and crimes against humanity," a judicial source told AFP on Saturday. Adel Issa, 67, a former officer in the 17th brigade of the Syrian army under the Bashar al-Assad regime, went to the Syrian embassy in Beirut on Friday to handle administrative matters, according to this source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The information was confirmed to L’Orient-Le Jour by another judicial source. During the interrogation following his arrest, Issa explained that he had gone to the Syrian embassy without suspecting he was at risk of being arrested. He claimed he had not committed any of the acts he is accused of. According to our information, Issa left Syrian territory illegally, but resided legally in Lebanon under a residency permit issued by the General Directorate of General Security.
According to AFP’s information, after embassy staff became aware of an arrest warrant issued by Damascus in absentia for "murders and crimes against humanity committed during his service in the army," they asked Lebanese authorities to arrest him.
Issa remains in custody. The prosecutor general at the Court of Cassation, Ahmad Rami al-Hajj, asked his Syrian counterpart to provide the suspect's extradition file, a prerequisite for any decision by Beirut regarding a potential handover to Syrian authorities. According to the aforementioned judicial source, Hajj is expected to make a decision after receiving and reviewing the official Syrian documents, which are expected to arrive early next week. He must ensure that all conditions for a handover to Syrian authorities are met, particularly with regard to bilateral agreements between Lebanon and Syria.
After the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, Syrian authorities arrested dozens of people they accused of crimes committed during more than thirteen years of civil war. The first trials began in April.
Lebanon and Syria have expressed their intention to open a new chapter in their relations. Under the Assad family, Damascus held sway over its Lebanese neighbor for decades, was accused of orchestrating numerous assassinations there, and allied itself with Hezbollah. Officials from both countries have met several times over the past two years and have agreed to strengthen their cooperation in several areas, including security.
