Lebanon hands Assad-era general to Syria in first such transfer

The transfer could set a precedent for scores of former Syrian security and military officials believed to have fled across the border.

The move comes as the new Syrian government, led by interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa looks to hold senior members of Assad’s regime accountable for crimes committed during the country’s civil war, which killed hundreds of thousands of people.

Lebanon on Wednesday extradited a former Syrian military officer under ousted President Bashar Assad and he will be put on trial in Syria, the Interior Ministry said.

The transfer is the first from Lebanon involving a Syrian military officer who fled after al-Assad's government fell.

DAMASCUS, Aug 19 - Lebanese authorities handed a former senior Syrian army officer to Damascus on Wednesday to face charges including murder and torture, Syria’s interior ministry said, marking the first handover of an Assad-era military officer by Lebanon since former President Bashar al-Assad was toppled in 2024.

Syria's Interior Ministry says that Lebanon has extradited a former military officer from Lebanon to Syrian authorities

Lebanon’s judicial authorities have decided to hand over a former Syrian military officer to Damascus

The demonstration came after Israel rejected the Board of Peace's 15-point proposal for Gaza, reiterating that Hamas must first be disarmed.

Control over a strategic ridge overlooking Nabatieh is emerging as a flashpoint between the Israeli military and Lebanon ahead of the next expected round of negotiations in September.