France issues new arrest warrant for Syria's Assad over war crimes

Two French investigating magistrates have issued an arrest warrant for ousted Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, citing suspected complicity in war crimes.

This marks the second such action taken by France’s judicial authorities, according to AFP citing a source on Tuesday.

The warrant, issued on Monday, holds Assad accountable as “commander-in-chief of the armed forces” for a bombing in the Syrian city of Deraa in 2017 that resulted in a civilian’s death, AFP quoted a source familiar with the case as saying.

This warrant was issued as part of an investigation into the case of Salah Abou Nabout, a 59-year-old Franco-Syrian national and former French teacher, who was killed on June 7, 2017, when Syrian army helicopters bombed his home.

According to the source, the French judiciary believes that Assad ordered and facilitated this attack.

Six senior Syrian army officials are already facing French arrest warrants in connection with this case, which has been under investigation since 2018.

“This case represents the culmination of a long fight for justice, in which I and my family believed from the start,” AFP quoted Omar Abou Nabout, the victim’s son, as saying in a statement.

He expressed hope that “a trial will take place and that the perpetrators will be arrested and judged, wherever they are”.

French authorities in November 2023 issued a first arrest warrant against Assad over chemical attacks in 2013 where more than a thousand people, according to American intelligence, were killed by sarin gas.

While considering Assad’s participation in these attacks “likely”, public prosecutors last year issued an appeal against the warrant on the grounds that Assad should have immunity as a head of state.

However, his ouster has now changed his status and potential immunity. Assad and his family fled to Russia after his fall, according to Russian authorities.

With inputs from agencies