Lebanon extradited a former Syrian military officer, Maj. Gen. Adel Issa, to Syria on Wednesday to face trial for alleged crimes committed during the country's conflict. This marks the first time Lebanon has extradited a former officer under ousted President Bashar Assad since his regime fell in December 2024.
Syria's Interior Ministry stated that it had requested Issa's extradition to face charges including intentional killing of more than two persons, torture resulting in death, and inciting civil war. Issa served as commander of the Syrian army's 17th Division and commander of ground forces in the eastern province of Deir el-Zour until 2016.
Lebanese judicial authorities approved the extradition on Tuesday, citing a 1951 agreement between the two countries that mandates the handover of suspected criminals to face justice. Issa had fled to Lebanon illegally after Assad's ouster.
Issa was detained on August 8 after visiting the Syrian Embassy in Beirut for official matters. Embassy officials then alerted Lebanese authorities that Issa was wanted in Syria. Following Assad's fall in late 2024, numerous military and security officers fled to Lebanon, with some still residing there.
Syria has been prosecuting former members of Assad's security agencies accused of atrocities. Last week, a Syrian court sentenced Assad and his brother Maher to death in absentia. Brig. Gen. Atef Najib, their cousin and a senior security official, received a death sentence while in custody.
The Syrian conflict, which began with anti-government protests in March 2011 and escalated into a civil war, resulted in an estimated 500,000 deaths and over 1 million wounded.