Lebanese authorities on Saturday detained Adel Issa, a former major general under the Assad regime, under an arrest warrant issued in absentia issued by the Syrian judiciary accusing him of “murder and crimes against humanity.”

Agence France-Presse, AFP, cited an unnamed Lebanese judicial source as saying that the Lebanese judiciary would examine Issa’s case with a view to extraditing him to Syria.

The judicial source said retired Major General Adel Issa, 67, “went to his country’s embassy on Friday to complete some paperwork, before it emerged that he was wanted under an in absentia arrest warrant issued by the Syrian judiciary, and that he is accused of murder and crimes against humanity committed during his service in the Syrian army.”

The source said Lebanese security services then arrested Issa at the embassy after notifying the Lebanese judiciary, which took him into custody.

The source added that Lebanon’s Public Prosecutor at the Court of Cassation, Ahmad Rami al-Hajj, sent a letter to Syria’s public prosecutor requesting the extradition file concerning Adel Issa so it could be reviewed and the appropriate decision taken on whether to hand him over.

Issa held prominent military posts during the years of the Syrian revolution, most notably commanding the 17th Division in Raqqa (northern Syria). He also held military responsibilities connected to Tabqa Military Airbase.

In March 2015, Issa was appointed commander of the Assad regime’s ground forces in Deir Ezzor (eastern Syria), succeeding Major General Muwaffaq al-Asaad.

Major General Adel Issa during the Assad regime, circulated on social media.

Assad Regime Officials in Damascus Custody

Since coming to power following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s government in late 2024, Syria’s new authorities have arrested former military and security officials accused of contributing to the bloody repression of the popular protests that began in 2011.

In April, the Syrian judiciary began public trials, both in person and in absentia, of several former officials on multiple charges that rise to the level of “war crimes.”

Beirut and Damascus have been working to rebuild relations after Syria, during decades of Assad family rule, exercised extensive control over Lebanese affairs, a period during which Damascus was accused of assassinating several Lebanese figures opposed to its influence.

Lebanese and Syrian officials have held several meetings since Syria’s new authorities came to power and agreed to cooperate in a number of areas, including security.

The latest security meeting between the two sides was held on August 5 in Beirut, bringing together a Syrian Interior Ministry delegation headed by Brigadier General Mulham al-Shantout, assistant interior minister for security affairs, and Lebanese Interior and Municipalities Minister Ahmad al-Hajjar.

The Syrian Interior Ministry said the meeting discussed the main issues of mutual interest and ways to strengthen security cooperation between the two countries.

As part of security coordination between the two sides, Syria’s Internal Security Forces announced the arrest of content creator Hussein al-Ahmad, known as “Haiho,” on the Syrian-Lebanese border in coordination with the intelligence service.

He was arrested on accusations of insulting the state and its symbols and deliberately provoking the sentiments of Syrians, and authorities said he would be referred to the competent judiciary for legal proceedings.

The Lebanese judiciary had previously requested Haiho’s arrest after video recordings from inside the Syrian embassy in Lebanon were deemed provocative.