Lebanon Arrests Former Syrian Military Officer Over Attack Plot
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Beirut (Terror Monitor) — Lebanon has arrested a former Syrian military officer and several associates accused of planning attacks against the security forces of Syria’s new government.
A Lebanese judicial official told AFP that those arrested include two Lebanese and three Syrian nationals, including a former colonel in the Syrian intelligence service. Authorities also recovered automatic weapons, hand grenades, sniper rifles and explosives from their possession.
According to the official, the alleged head of the network is a former Syrian army major general who was considered a close associate of former President Bashar al-Assad and is currently living in Moscow.
Preliminary investigations found that the suspects were allegedly planning operations against the new government forces in Syria’s coastal areas, a region widely regarded as a stronghold of the Alawite minority. The Assad family also comes from the region.
According to sources, members of the network had received military training from Hezbollah fighters in eastern Lebanon. The Iran-backed Hezbollah was a key supporter of Bashar al-Assad’s government during Syria’s civil war. However, the regional political landscape changed significantly after new Syrian leadership came to power in December 2024.
Syria and Lebanon have in recent years sought to open a new chapter in their bilateral relations. Last month, Lebanon also handed over a former Assad-era general to Syria, who faces serious allegations including murder and torture.
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