A Syrian judge has issued an arrest warrant against ousted dictator Bashar al-Assad on charges connected to the brutal 2011 Daraa killings.
Investigating Judge Tawfiq al-Ali told the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) that Assad faces charges of premeditated murder, torture leading to death, and deprivation of liberty.
The judge said the decision allows for the warrant to be circulated through Interpol and for the case to be pursued internationally.
The move came in response to a lawsuit filed by families of victims of the Daraa fighting, which took place on 23 November 2011.
Daraa, often described as the birthplace of the Syrian revolution, was where protests against Assad’s rule first began in March 2011.
The demonstrations were met with a brutal crackdown, sparking what would evolve into a nationwide civil war which left hundreds of thousands dead and millions displaced.
Assad, who brutally ruled over Syria for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia in December 2024 after his regime finally collapsed amid a major push by militant groups from Idlib.
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His departure marked the end of Baath Party dominance, which had held power over the historic Arab country since 1963.
Following Assad’s fall, a transitional administration was established under President Ahmad al-Sharaa.
The new government has since introduced political and economic reforms, encouraged social cohesion, and sought broader cooperation with regional and international partners.
However, Syria has also witnessed bloody gun battles between various armed minority groups and government backed forces.
Alawite remnants loyal to the former regimes have attacked government forces in Latakia sparking a major battle in March, 2025.
And more recently, armed Druze factions backed by Israel have battled government backed Sunni Arab tribes in southern Syria.
Israel has attacked Syria multiple times since Assad’s fall and grabbed significant land bringing Israeli forces closer to the capital Damascus.
Despite Syria’s troubles, the arrest warrant represents a symbolic moment for many Syrians, particularly those in Daraa who bore the brunt of Assad’s bloody crackdowns. Families of victims have long demanded accountability for the violence.
Judge al-Ali emphasised that this decision provides an international legal pathway to hold Assad accountable. However, the likelihood of Interpol acting on the warrant remains uncertain, especially given Russia’s role as Assad’s host and protector.
Despite these challenges, the announcement has raised hopes among survivors and relatives of victims that Assad could one day face justice for his brutal crimes against the Syrian people.
