France Issues Second Arrest Warrant Against Assad for 2017 Deraa Bombing

Jan 21, 2025, 08:33 PM

Two French investigating magistrates have issued an arrest warrant against ousted Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad for suspected complicity in war crimes. The warrant, issued on January 20, 2025, relates to Assad's alleged role in a 2017 bombing in the Syrian city of Deraa that killed a Franco-Syrian civilian, Salah Abou Nabout. This marks the second arrest warrant issued by French judicial authorities against Assad, following a previous warrant in November 2023 related to chemical attacks in 2013. Assad, who was ousted in late 2024, is accused of ordering and providing the means for the attack as the 'commander-in-chief of the armed forces.' French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot emphasized the need for justice, stating that the crimes witnessed at Sednaya Prison must not go unpunished and that France will continue to mobilize for justice for Syrians.