Lebanese army detains Bashar al-Assad relative in Bekaa
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- Lebanese authorities detained Suleiman Hilal al-Assad, a cousin of ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in eastern Lebanon, according to an AFP-cited security source.
- Two other people were detained with him, including the son of Lebanese drug trafficker Nouh Zaiter.
The Lebanese army detained a relative of ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Friday, along with the son of a Lebanese drug trafficker who was reportedly with him, according to a security source cited by Agence France-Presse.
The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the army detained three people, including Suleiman Hilal al-Assad, while they were using drugs in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley.
One of the other detainees was identified as Ali, the son of Nouh Zaiter, a prominent Lebanese drug trafficker who is subject to US, British and European sanctions.
The source said Zaiter was detained by the Lebanese army in late 2025. The third detainee was described as a Syrian civilian and not a former military officer.
All three detainees were transferred to the Lebanese Defense Ministry for questioning, according to the source.
