Lebanon’s Public Prosecutor, Judge Ahmad Rami Al-Haj, approved on Tuesday, 18 August, the extradition of retired Syrian Major General Adel Issa to Damascus, where he will stand trial for alleged crimes committed on Syrian territory, according to the National News Agency.
The ruling was issued under the 1951 Lebanese-Syrian Judicial Agreement, after the Lebanese judiciary determined that all legal and procedural requirements for extradition had been met. Judge Al-Haj instructed the Central Criminal Investigation Department to transfer Issa from the Palace of Justice in Beirut to the General Directorate of General Security, ahead of his handover to a Syrian security committee at the border.
Issa — the former commander of land forces in Deir ez-Zor and former head of the 17th Division under the previous regime — was detained after visiting the Syrian Embassy in Beirut to complete an administrative procedure. Embassy staff alerted Lebanese judicial and security authorities to his presence, identifying him as a wanted individual with outstanding arrest warrants issued by Damascus and formally requesting his surrender.
During initial questioning, Issa admitted entering Lebanon illegally through smuggling routes, saying he feared prosecution by Syrian internal security forces. Lebanese investigators are examining allegations of his direct involvement in operations targeting protesters and civilians during his tenure in Deir ez-Zor and while commanding the 17th Division.
Issa denied the accusations, claiming his actions were limited to routine military duties. His extradition marks a new step in Damascus’s efforts to hold former military and security officials accountable, as Syria’s new authorities expand cross-border judicial cooperation with neighboring states.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
The post Lebanon Approves Extradition of Former Syrian Army General for Trial in Damascus first appeared on The Syrian Observer.
