Lebanese authorities have arrested former Syrian army Major-General Adel Issa,who served under ousted President Bashar al-Assad,as officials consider whether to return him to Syria.
Issa was detained in Beirut on Friday,according to judicial and security officials. Lebanese authorities are now weighing whether to hand him over to Damascus to face accusations connected to his military service.
If the transfer goes ahead,it would be the first of its kind since al-Assad’s government collapsed in December 2024,when opposition fighters seized Damascus and numerous former officials fled into Lebanon.
Officials speaking on condition of anonymity said Issa visited the Syrian embassy in Beirut on Friday to complete paperwork.
Embassy staff reportedly discovered that he was wanted in Syria and alerted Lebanon’s prosecutor’s office.
Investigators from the Central Criminal Investigation Department subsequently detained Issa and transferred him to a facility at the Beirut Palace of Justice.
During questioning,Issa admitted entering Lebanon illegally following the collapse of al-Assad’s government,but reportedly denied wrongdoing.
Lebanese authorities are expected to wait until Monday for Damascus to provide formal charges before deciding how to proceed.
Lebanon’s public prosecutor has requested that his Syrian counterpart submit Issa’s extradition file before Beirut determines whether he should be handed over.
Former Commander in Deir Az Zour
Issa,67,previously commanded Syria’s 17th Division before being transferred in 2015 to lead ground forces in Deir Az Zour province near the Iraqi border,according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
He remained in that position until retiring in late 2016.
His arrest comes as Syria continues proceedings involving former security officials accused of abuses during the al-Assad era.
Among those facing prosecution is al-Assad’s cousin,Atef Najib,whose trial began in April over his alleged role in triggering the 2011 uprising. A verdict in his case is expected soon.
Bashar al-Assad and his brother Maher fled to Russia following the collapse of the government,bringing an end to a civil war that killed roughly half a million people and wounded more than one million others.
