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They tried to leave Lebanon with fake documents. This was reported by Lebanese security and judicial officials. Rasha Hazem and her daughter Shams were arrested while trying to fly to Egypt. The Lebanese General Security Service stopped them, suspecting the use of false passports. As it turns out, they were smuggled into Lebanon. This was reported by The Times of Israel.

Duraid al-Assad, the husband of Rashi Hazem, is the son of Rifaat al-Assad, the younger brother of the late Hafez al-Assad, Bashar’s father. Rifat is known as the “Butcher of Hama” for his role in suppressing the 1982 uprising in which thousands of people died at the hands of the Syrian army under his command.

The day after the arrest of the relatives, it became known that 87-year-old Rifat al-Assad left Lebanon, heading to Dubai. He used his real passport and his departure was not stopped. Lebanese authorities have not commented on why he left the country unhindered despite war crimes charges brought against him in Switzerland in March this year.

Swiss prosecutors accuse Rifaat al-Assad of war crimes and crimes against humanity. He allegedly ordered murder and torture, including the shelling of the city of Hama in 1982. This event became one of the bloodiest pages in the history of Syria, for which Rifat received his nickname.

Since the overthrow of the 50-year Assad regime in Syria, tens of thousands of Syrians, including members of the regime, have entered Lebanon illegally. Some of them found refuge with the help of Hezbollah, an ally of the Syrian government. However, Lebanese security services are actively arresting former Syrian military and intelligence officials, including high-profile officers, trying to escape or sell weapons.

Lebanese authorities have received an Interpol request for the arrest of Jamil al-Hassan, the former director of Syrian intelligence under the Assad regime. Acting Prime Minister of Lebanon Najib Mikati confirmed his readiness to cooperate with Interpol in this matter.

Arrests and leaks of information about members of the ousted Syrian regime being in Lebanon are causing tension among Lebanese politicians. The country still retains the memory of the many years of Syrian occupation, which ended only in 2005.

Kursor previously reported that Bashar al-Assad’s wife, Asma al-Assad, is in critical condition due to leukemia, and her chances of recovery are estimated at 50/50, sources close to the family say.