A former high-ranking Syrian army general, Adel Issa, who served under the ousted President Bashar al-Assad, has been detained in Beirut by Lebanese authorities. The arrest took place on Friday, and officials are currently considering whether to return him to Syria to face charges related to his military service. Issa was apprehended after visiting the Syrian embassy in Beirut for paperwork, during which embassy staff realized he was wanted back home. Lebanese investigators from the Central Criminal Investigation Department detained him and transported him to a facility at the Beirut Palace of Justice. If extradited, Issa's return would mark the first such transfer since al-Assad's government collapsed in December 2024, with many former officials seeking refuge in Lebanon. Officials are waiting for formal charges from Damascus before deciding on how to proceed, which is expected on Monday due to the weekend in Syria. Issa previously commanded Syria's 17th Division and led ground forces in Deir Az Zour province near the Iraqi border until his retirement in late 2016. His potential extradition comes amid Syria's broader reckoning with the al-Assad era, during which numerous former security officials accused of abuses have already been arrested and tried. The trial of al-Assad's cousin, Atef Najib, over his alleged role in triggering the 2011 uprising is ongoing, with a verdict expected soon.