Lebanon is handing over an Assad-era general after war crimes questioning
Lebanon’s judicial authorities have decided to hand over a former Syrian military officer to Damascus
Lebanon is set to transfer Maj. Gen. Adel Issa, a former senior Syrian military officer under the Assad regime, to Damascus for questioning regarding alleged war crimes committed during Syria's conflict, officials revealed on Tuesday (August 18, 2026). This marks the first time a military officer has been handed over by Lebanon since the Assad regime's downfall in late 2024.
Issa is anticipated to face trial in Syria. Details on the specific crimes he is accused of remain undisclosed. This decision followed a recent parliamentary vote that abolished the death penalty in Lebanon, a move expected to be formalized once published in the Lebanese Official Gazette. Issa was apprehended on August 8, 2026, at the Syrian embassy in Beirut while seeking paperwork and has been under detention at Beirut's Palace of Justice since then.
Syria’s conflict, which began with anti-government protests in March 2011 and escalated into a full-blown civil war, resulted in over half a million deaths and more than a million wounded.
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