Shafaq News – Damascus

Former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad faces an arrest warrant in absentia over the Daraa events of November 23, 2011, when protests in the city escalated into a prolonged armed conflict, a senior official confirmed on Saturday.

Speaking to the state-run SANA news agency, Tawfiq Al-Ali, the Seventh Investigative Judge in Damascus, indicated that the warrant, filed by relatives of the victims, includes charges of premeditated murder, torture resulting in death, and deprivation of liberty.

The order reportedly allows for international circulation through Interpol and underscores that legal proceedings targeting those responsible for crimes linked to the former regime are ongoing.

On December 8, 2024, al-Assad unexpectedly left Syria and stepped down, as opposition forces took full control of Damascus and the country’s governance. Following negotiations, the Russian Foreign Ministry indicated that al-Assad chose to relinquish power and depart Syria, issuing instructions for a peaceful transfer of authority. The Kremlin confirmed that he and his family arrived in Moscow, where they were granted asylum on humanitarian grounds.