Lebanon Hands Over Former Syrian General to Syria in First Such Extradition Since Assad’s Fall

Beirut (Terror Monitor) — Lebanon has handed over a former Syrian major general who served under ousted President Bashar al-Assad to Syrian authorities, marking the first extradition of its kind since the Assad government fell in December 2024.

Sixty-seven-year-old Major General Adel Issa is accused of committing multiple crimes during Syria’s civil war, which ended in December 2024 after rebel groups seized Damascus and Bashar al-Assad fled the country.

Issa was arrested in Beirut on August 8 after visiting the Syrian Embassy to complete certain documents. He was handed over to Syrian authorities on Wednesday.

The move followed growing pressure from Syria’s new government on Lebanon to take action against former military and security officials who fled across the border following the fall of the Assad government.

According to Syria’s Interior Ministry, Issa served as commander of ground forces in the eastern province of Deir ez-Zor until 2016.

The ministry accused him of intentional killings, aiding and abetting crimes, the killing of more than two people, deaths resulting from torture and aggressive acts allegedly aimed at fueling the civil war and sectarian tensions.

Judicial officials told the BBC that Issa denied all the allegations against him when he was arrested.

His extradition was carried out under a 1951 agreement between Syria and Lebanon.

Issa will now appear before a referral judge in Damascus, who will determine whether the case should be referred to a criminal court.

In January, Syria provided Lebanon with a list of more than 200 former senior military officers and demanded that they face legal action or prosecution.

The new Syrian government, led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa, has launched cases against dozens of former officials from the Assad era since taking power.

Earlier this month, a court in Damascus sentenced Bashar al-Assad and his brother Maher al-Assad to death in absentia in cases involving alleged human rights violations during the civil war. Both men fled to Moscow following the fall of their government.

Relatives of the Assad family, Wasim al-Assad and Atef Najib, have also been arrested in Syria and sentenced to death.