Suleiman Al-Assad arrested in Lebanon drug raid

Shafaq News- Beirut

Lebanese security forces raided a suspected drug warehouse in the Beqaa region on Friday and arrested several people, including Suleiman Hilal Al-Assad, a relative of former Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad and the son of his cousin Hilal Al-Assad, according to Al Arabiya and Al Hadath.

The outlets cited sources saying Syrian authorities had asked Lebanon to hand over Al-Assad over allegations that he was involved in killings in Syria and drug smuggling from Syrian territory.

The reported arrest comes amid growing cooperation between Beirut and Damascus over figures linked to the former Assad government. Lebanon extradited former Maj. Gen. Adel Issa to Syria on Aug. 19 to face trial over alleged crimes committed during the Syrian conflict.

Reuters reported in January that Syrian authorities had asked Lebanon to hand over more than 200 Assad-era officers they said had fled there after the government’s collapse. Lebanese officials acknowledged receiving a list but disputed claims about the presence of senior officers involved in insurgent activity.

In December 2024, Lebanon also deported about 70 Syrian officers and soldiers after they entered the country illegally.