Rifaat al-Assad, the uncle of ousted Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, who is facing war crime charges in Switzerland for his role in the brutal 1982 suppression of a revolt, recently flew from Beirut to Dubai, according to two Lebanese security officials. The officials noted that several members of the Assad family traveled to Dubai from Beirut, while others remained in Lebanon since Bashar al-Assad’s removal on December 8. Lebanese authorities have not received any Interpol requests to arrest Rifaat or other Assad family members.
The UAE’s foreign ministry has yet to respond to inquiries about the matter. The Lebanese officials stated they were unaware of whether Rifaat or the other Assad family members planned to stay in Dubai or travel elsewhere. Rifaat, in his late 80s, is the brother of Hafez al-Assad, the late president of Syria. He led elite forces that crushed a 1982 Muslim Brotherhood uprising in Hama, killing over 10,000 people. The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) later estimated the death toll to be between 30,000 and 40,000 civilians.
Switzerland’s Attorney General’s Office has referred Rifaat al-Assad for trial on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, citing universal jurisdiction over such offenses. He has denied any involvement. Swiss authorities had previously suggested that the trial might be postponed due to his ill health. The 1982 Hama massacre is often seen as a precursor to Bashar al-Assad’s own violent crackdown during the 2011 uprising. The 2011 rebels, led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, had referred to the Hama assault in their efforts to address long-standing grievances in Syria.
Rifaat al-Assad helped his brother Hafez seize power in a 1970 coup and served as vice president until a failed attempt to seize the presidency led to his exile. He has lived in Switzerland, Spain, and France, where he was convicted in 2020 for acquiring property through illicit means. In 2021, he returned to Syria. Lebanese officials also reported that Rifaat’s son Duraid’s wife and daughter were detained at Beirut airport for attempting to travel with tampered, expired passports.
Additionally, Lebanese Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi revealed that Bouthaina Shaaban, a senior Assad advisor, had flown out of Beirut legally, while other Syrian officials had entered Lebanon illegally and were being pursued. Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister, Najib Mikati, confirmed on Monday that Lebanon would cooperate with an Interpol request for the arrest of former Syrian intelligence officer Jamil Hassan, who faces U.S. war crimes charges under Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
