Lebanon arrests Bashar al-Assad's cousin and son of a drug dealer in the Bekaa
Amman1 min read
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The Lebanese army arrested three people in the Bekaa region in the east of the country, including Suleiman Hilal al-Assad, the cousin of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and Ali, the son of Lebanese drug dealer Noah Zaiter, according to a security source cited by Agence France-Presse.
The source said the detainees were arrested on Friday while using drugs, noting that Suleiman al-Assad is a civilian and not a former officer, while the three individuals were transferred to the headquarters of the Lebanese Ministry of Defense for investigation.
The arrest comes amid efforts by Lebanon and Syria to reorganize relations between the two countries following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, coinciding with the decline of Hezbollah's influence in Lebanon.
Lebanese authorities had previously arrested a five-member network, including Syrians and a former Syrian intelligence officer, on suspicion of planning attacks against Syrian government forces in the coastal region.
Last month, the Syrian Ministry of Interior also announced the handover of a former officer who served during the Assad era from Lebanon, following his arrest under an in-absentia warrant regarding accusations of committing murder and crimes against humanity.
