Assad Relatives Arrested Attempting to Flee Lebanon

On Friday, the wife and daughter of one of deposed Syrian president Bashar Assad’s cousins were apprehended at Beirut airport for attempting to leave with allegedly forged passports, according to Lebanese judicial and security sources. Assad’s uncle had departed the day before without issue.

Rasha Khazem, wife of Duraid Assad (son of Rifaat Assad, Bashar’s uncle), and their daughter, Shams, were caught trying to fly to Egypt after being smuggled into Lebanon illegally. The two are now being held by Lebanese General Security. Rifaat Assad, known for his brutal past, left the country a day earlier with his real passport, and no issues were reported at the time.

Swiss prosecutors had indicted Rifaat Assad earlier in the year for war crimes and crimes against humanity related to his role in the Hama massacre, where thousands of Syrians were killed under his command, earning him the infamous title of the “Butcher of Hama.”

In addition, Lebanese authorities have detained over 20 former members of Syria’s 4th Division, military intelligence officers, and others linked to Assad’s regime, many of whom were arrested while attempting to sell weapons in Lebanon. Meanwhile, Lebanon’s public prosecution office received an Interpol alert regarding Jamil al-Hassan, the former head of Syrian intelligence. Lebanese officials have confirmed their intent to cooperate with the request to arrest al-Hassan.