Lebanon Arrests First Assad-Era General, Weighs Landmark Extradition to Syria

Lebanon arrested former Syrian Major-General Adel Issa, 67, in Beirut after Syrian embassy staff recognized him during a paperwork visit. Issa admitted entering Lebanon illegally after Assad's December 2024 fall but denied wrongdoing. Lebanon's prosecutor awaits Damascus's extradition file before deciding. If transferred, it would be the first such handover since the regime collapsed — a potential precedent in Syria's post-Assad accountability push.