Syria receives from Lebanon a former brigade of the fleeing President Bashar al-Assad's regime - Sarmad

The Syrian Ministry of Interior announced the handover of a former officer in the army of ousted President Bashar al-Assad by Lebanese authorities, marking the first such operation since Assad’s overthrow in December 2024.

The ministry stated, in a statement according to the official Syrian News Agency (SANA), that it had taken custody of the former regime army officer, Major General Adel Issa, who previously commanded the 17th Division and served as the commander of ground forces in Deir ez-Zor until 2016.

It noted that Issa was arrested by Lebanese judicial authorities based on an arrest warrant issued by the Lebanese Court of Cassation’s Public Prosecutor.

The ministry clarified that coordination for Issa’s repatriation was carried out following a request from the General Prosecutor of the Republic, due to an in absentia arrest warrant issued against him by the Seventh Investigating Judge.