(MENAFN) In a significant development, French judges have issued international arrest warrants against Syrian President Bashar Assad, his brother Maher Assad, and two Syrian generals on charges of war crimes. The warrants stem from alleged chemical weapons attacks in August 2013, specifically focusing on attacks in the rebel-held areas of Douma and Eastern Ghouta during the Syrian civil war. These attacks are accused of causing the deaths of over 1,000 civilians.
France, Syria's former colonial ruler, claims worldwide jurisdiction over war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The arrest warrants, reported by Reuters and other media outlets on Wednesday, mark the first international charges related to the 2013 chemical weapons attacks. The investigation, initiated by a French court in 2021, gained momentum after a criminal complaint was filed by the Syrian Center for Media Freedom and Expression (SCM) and the Open Society Justice Initiative (OSJI), associated with billionaire George Soros' Open Society Foundations.
The unnamed judicial source cited in the reports highlights the gravity of the charges, accusing Assad and other officials of complicity in crimes against humanity. This move by French judges adds a new dimension to the pursuit of justice in the Syrian conflict, with SCM President Mazen Darwish describing the warrants as "a new victory for the victims, their families, and the survivors" and a significant step toward achieving justice and sustainable peace in Syria.
Assad, who has consistently denied allegations of using sarin gas and other chemical weapons against his own people, now faces international legal consequences as France asserts its commitment to holding those responsible for war crimes accountable.
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