Syrian former general and cousin of Bashar al-Assad, tied to abuses during Daraa crackdown
Syria has named Abdul Hamid Raslan as central bank governor, replacing Abdul Qadir al-Hasriya, who will become ambassador to Canada. Raslan, a longtime banker and former head of the Syrian Development Fund, inherits a system seeking to reconnect with global finance after a period of sanctions and upheaval. The move follows a wider government reshuffle announced by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
A former head of political security in Syria’s Daraa province has denied war-crime charges at his ongoing trial in Damascus, claiming other security agencies are responsible for abuses. The case, part of Syria’s return-to-justice phase since Assad-era officials face trial, has drawn international attention and raised questions about fair process under a reformed judiciary.
Syria has been invited to participate in the upcoming G7 summit discussions as a guest state, a move aimed at boosting legitimacy and attracting reconstruction support. Officials say the talks will also focus on Syria’s role as a potential hub for supply chains in a geopolitically tense region, even as the domestic economy remains severely strained and humanitarian needs persist.
A blast near Damascus’s Palace of Justice has killed several people and wounded many more. State media says the explosion came from an improvised device planted in a cafe, while authorities pledge accountability. No group has claimed responsibility; analysts warn the attack targets the judiciary amid ongoing trials from the former regime.
A sequence of bombings in central Damascus has killed and wounded civilians, with authorities announcing arrests of suspects and pledging to pursue those behind the attacks as Macron’s visit to Syria unfolds amid security concerns.
Maj. Gen. Adel Issa, a former commander tied to Assad’s regime, has been detained in Beirut after entering Lebanon illegally. Lebanese authorities are awaiting Damascus’s extradition charge sheet; a transfer would be the first since Assad’s fall. Issa faces multiple accusations and his case sits within Syria’s broader reckoning with the past.