Wed Jan 22 09:38:13 UTC 2025: ## French Court Issues Second Arrest Warrant for Ousted Syrian President Assad

**Paris, France** – A French court has issued a second arrest warrant for Bashar al-Assad, the former Syrian president ousted in December 2024, this time for suspected complicity in war crimes. The warrant, issued January 20th, stems from an ongoing investigation into the death of Franco-Syrian national Salah Abou Nabour, killed in a Syrian bombing raid on June 7, 2017. Prosecutors suspect the attack was a deliberate targeting of civilians.

This is the second warrant issued against Assad by French judges. A previous warrant, issued in November 2023, charged him with complicity in crimes against humanity and war crimes related to chemical attacks in Douma and Eastern Ghouta in August 2013, which resulted in over 1,000 deaths. The Assad regime has consistently denied using chemical weapons. The ongoing investigations underscore France’s commitment to holding those responsible for atrocities during the Syrian civil war accountable. While the likelihood of Assad’s arrest remains low given his current circumstances, the warrants represent a significant symbolic step in pursuing justice for victims.

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