US EditionSyrian Authorities Arrest Bashar Assad's Cousin on Drug Trafficking Charges
- On June 21, 2025, Syrian security forces apprehended Wassim al-Assad, a relative of ex-President Bashar al-Assad, near the border between Syria and Lebanon in the Homs region.
- The arrest followed Syria's December 8 coup that ended Assad family rule and occurred amid ongoing civil unrest, intensified drug production, and external pressure for accountability.
- Security agencies in Syria executed a carefully coordinated ambush, involving key intelligence and law enforcement units, to apprehend al-Assad near a significant smuggling route.
- Wassim al-Assad is recognized as a leading figure in drug trafficking during the previous regime, and in 2023, the US imposed sanctions on him for his involvement in regional narcotics operations and militia leadership, with officials describing his arrest as a warning to others.
- The arrest signals Damascus's limited steps to confront corruption amid international scrutiny, may affect Syrian-Lebanese relations, and marks a rare crackdown on a high-profile figure linked to the ousted regime.
54 Articles
54 Articles
In Syria, local authorities reportedly arrested a cousin of the overthrown leader Assad.
Syria says al-Assad cousin involved in drug trade arrested in border ambush
Wassim al-Assad, cousin of former ruler Bashar al-Assad, is the first prominent figure from the Assad family to be arrested since Islamist-led forces toppled the government on December 8, ending five decades of one-family rule.
Syria arrests Assad cousin involved in drugs in border ambush
Syrian authorities arrested Wassim al-Assad, a cousin of former Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad, the interior ministry said Saturday, in one of the most high-profile arrests since the former president's ouster. Assad fled to Russia in December with only a handful of confidants, abandoning senior officials and security officers, some of whom have reportedly fled to neighbouring countries or taken refuge in the coastal heartland of Assad's Alawite mi…
Syrian security forces detain cousin of toppled leader Assad
A wall painted with a damaged drawing of ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is pictured in the al-Qadam neighbourhood in Damascus, Syria, March 26, 2025. REUTERS/Firas Makdesi/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab June 21 (Reuters) – Syria’s security forces have detained Wassim al-Assad, a cousin of toppled leader Bashar al-Assad, state news agency SANA said on Saturday. Wassim al-Assad was sanctioned by the United States in …
Syrian authorities have arrested a nephew of ousted dictator Bashar al-Assad on suspicion of drug trafficking. According to the Ministry of the Interior, Wassim al-Assad was active as a drug dealer during the dictatorship. The ministry has not disclosed where and when the nephew was arrested. Last December, Syrian rebels captured Homs and the capital Damascus, ending the Assad dynasty after more than half a century. Assad fled to Moscow with fam…
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