BEIRUT — On Friday, the wife and daughter of a cousin of the former Syrian president Bashar Assad were taken into custody at Beirut’s airport. They were allegedly attempting to board a flight using fake passports, according to Lebanese judicial and security sources. This incident occurred just a day after Bashar Assad’s uncle had left the country.
Rasha Khazem, married to Duraid Assad, the son of ex-Vice President Rifaat Assad, along with their daughter, Shams, reportedly entered Lebanon illegally. They were en route to Egypt when arrested by Lebanese General Security personnel. Meanwhile, Rifaat Assad successfully departed the previous day using a legitimate passport without any issues, according to five anonymous officials familiar with the situation.
These officials requested anonymity to speak freely about the matter, as they were not authorized to disclose details publicly. In March, federal prosecutors in Switzerland charged Rifaat Assad with war crimes and crimes against humanity, accusing him of orchestrating torture and murder over forty years ago.
Rifaat Assad, who is the brother of Hafez Assad, the late father of Bashar Assad and former ruler of Syria, commanded the artillery unit responsible for the shelling of Hama, which resulted in thousands of deaths. This earned him the infamous title of the “Butcher of Hama.” Earlier in 2023, he faced further legal scrutiny in Switzerland concerning the Hama events.
It’s believed that tens of thousands of Syrians crossed into Lebanon illegally following the downfall of Assad earlier this month, as rebel forces took control of Damascus. According to Lebanese judicial and security sources, at least 20 members of the Syrian Army’s notorious 4th Division, along with military intelligence officials and others linked to Assad’s regime, have been arrested in Lebanon recently. Some of these arrests were made when individuals allegedly tried to sell their weapons.
Additionally, Lebanon’s public prosecution office has received an Interpol alert calling for the arrest of Jamil al-Hassan, who previously headed Syrian intelligence under Assad’s rule. Najib Mikati, Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister, has confirmed that the country will comply with the Interpol request concerning al-Hassan’s arrest.
