Assad’s relatives arrested at Beirut Airport amid ongoing operations to root out regime remnants

In a dramatic turn of events, relatives of deposed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad were arrested at Beirut’s international airport on December 27 as they attempted to flee Lebanon with forged passports.

Lebanese judicial and security officials confirmed the arrests of Rasha Khazem, the wife of Duraid Assad — the son of former Vice President Rifaat Assad — and their daughter, Shams, Caliber.Az reports citing foreign media.

The trio, who had been smuggled into Lebanon illegally, were attempting to board a flight to Egypt when they were detained by Lebanese authorities. Rifaat Assad, the notorious brother of Bashar Assad’s late father Hafez, managed to leave Lebanon the previous day without incident.

The arrest comes amid heightened scrutiny surrounding the Assad family and their inner circle. Rifaat Assad, infamous for his role in the 1982 Hama massacre, was indicted by Swiss prosecutors earlier this year on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Despite his controversial past, he was not stopped from leaving Lebanon, while his family members faced immediate detention.

This latest development in the fallout of Bashar al-Assad’s regime coincides with a series of ongoing operations in Syria aimed at dismantling what remains of his military and security apparatus. The Lebanese authorities have also been on high alert, with several members of the Syrian military and intelligence forces arrested in Lebanon over the past week. Many of these individuals were reportedly attempting to flee the country or sell weapons in a desperate bid to escape the collapse of the regime.

Meanwhile, in Syria, significant efforts are being made to secure areas still believed to be under the influence of Assad loyalists. On December 28, the Military Operations Department, in coordination with the Interior Ministry, launched a large-scale combing operation in southern Latakia to rid the region of remnants linked to the Assad regime.

The operation has already led to the seizure of a substantial cache of weapons and ammunition. These efforts are part of a broader security campaign to restore stability and eliminate the remaining pockets of Assad’s influence in the country.

Earlier this week, security forces also launched operations in Qudsaya, Al-Hameh, and several neighborhoods in the Damascus countryside to control illegal weapons and prevent further outbreaks of violence. Tensions escalated in Deir ez-Zor, where clashes erupted between local fighters and former regime elements. This region remains a focal point for Iranian-backed militias, adding to the complexity of the ongoing security situation.

By Vafa Guliyeva