Rifaat al-Assad’s Beirut Departure Sparks Scrutiny Over Passport Forgery and Smuggling

Al-Jadeed reports that Rifaat al-Assad, uncle of the ousted Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, departed from Beirut Airport to Dubai last Tuesday at 4:00 PM, accompanied by two individuals aboard a private jet.

The report also revealed that Rifaat al-Assad's granddaughter is currently detained in Lebanon for possessing a forged passport. It added that several families of Syrian officials have recently departed Lebanon on commercial flights from the VIP lounge.

Additionally, the information highlighted the existence of a smuggling route from Damascus to the town of Helwe in Rashaya, then to Beirut. Security forces had previously apprehended a former officer from the Fourth Division, identified as a member of the Kreidi family, who was en route to Beirut carrying $170,000.