France Issues Arrest Warrant for Assad

French investigative judges have issued a new arrest warrant against former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for alleged complicity in the bombing of civilian objects in the Arab Republic in 2017. This was reported by Agence France-Presse.

The warrant was issued at the request of France's National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office, which was investigating the death of 59-year-old Salah Abu Nabou, a French-Syrian national. According to the prosecutor's office, the man died in 2017 as a result of shelling by Syrian army helicopters on his home in Daraa province.

The prosecutor's office justified the request for a new warrant by stating that Assad is no longer president and therefore does not benefit from judicial immunity in legal proceedings.

This is the second arrest warrant issued against the former Syrian leader in France. The previous one was related to allegations concerning the alleged use of chemical weapons by Syrian forces under Assad's command. According to AFP, French justice has issued a total of 14 arrest warrants against senior Syrian officials.