Syria issues arrest warrant for former President Bashar Al-Assad

Syria has issued an arrest warrant for former president Bashar Al-Assad, allowing for international action through Interpol. The warrant charges him with premeditated murder, torture resulting in death, and deprivation of liberty. These charges stem from lawsuits by victims’ families in Deraa related to events from November 2011.

Since fleeing to Russia following the rebel takeover, Assad faces accusations of using chemical weapons and widespread torture during the ongoing civil war. The Syrian conflict has resulted in over 600,000 deaths and displaced more than half of the country’s prewar population of 23 million, according to the UN.