Critical Cases Evacuated from Ghouta Parallel with Releasing 26 Detainees for Syrian Regime

Syrian staff from the International Committee of the Red Cross evacuate a child from Eastern Ghouta on Wednesday. AFP/ Getty
Syrian staff from the International Committee of the Red Cross evacuate a child from Eastern Ghouta on Wednesday. AFP/ Getty
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Critical Cases Evacuated from Ghouta Parallel with Releasing 26 Detainees for Syrian Regime

Syrian staff from the International Committee of the Red Cross evacuate a child from Eastern Ghouta on Wednesday. AFP/ Getty
Syrian staff from the International Committee of the Red Cross evacuate a child from Eastern Ghouta on Wednesday. AFP/ Getty

The Syrian regime allowed Wednesday the evacuation of four patients, including children from the besieged eastern Ghouta near Damascus.

This move followed an agreement with Jaish al-Islam to evacuate a number of critical cases from this region, which has been witnessing deterioration in the humanitarian situation, in exchange for releasing the detained loyal to the regime.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Syria said its staff, along with those of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (Sarc), had “begun the evacuation of critical medical cases from eastern Ghouta to central Damascus” on Wednesday.

Four patients had been taken to hospitals in Damascus, the first of 29 critical cases approved for medical evacuation, and the remainder would be evacuated over the coming days; they include 18 children and four women with heart disease, cancer, kidney failure and blood diseases.

The ICRC said it had facilitated the deal, which came two months after the United Nations asked Assad’s government to allow the urgent evacuation of the 29 patients. The operation was still in a very early phase, it said.

The United Nations has pleaded for the government to allow evacuation of around 500 patients, including children with cancer, and has said there was no excuse for not permitting their evacuation to go ahead.

From the list of 500 urgent cases announced in November, at least 16 have already died for lack of medical assistance.

Ingy Sedky, spokeswoman for the International Committee of the Red Cross in Damascus, said four patients were allowed to leave Tuesday and 25 others are expected to be let out in the coming hours.

"There are many more people who need to be evacuated. We hope this will be only the beginning," Sedky said.

Three children were among the first four patients to leave, Red Crescent official Ahmed al-Saour told AFP. He said in total 29 seriously ill people were due to be evacuated.

The first four were a girl with haemophilia, a baby with the autoimmune disorder Guillain-Barre, a child with leukaemia, and a man in need of a kidney transplant, he said.

Eight-year-old Ingy, the girl with haemophilia, gave a broad smile as she boarded an ambulance, wearing a woolly hat and gloves against the cold.

In another ambulance, one-year-old Mohammed lay in the lap of a Red Crescent worker, his mother sitting beside them in a long black cloak and a veil showing only her eyes.



Syrian Prisoners File Puts Lebanon in a Bind, Legal Frameworks Needed for Resolution

Overcrowding in prisons and delays in trials in Lebanon lead to prolonged detention in police stations. (Getty) 
Overcrowding in prisons and delays in trials in Lebanon lead to prolonged detention in police stations. (Getty) 
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Syrian Prisoners File Puts Lebanon in a Bind, Legal Frameworks Needed for Resolution

Overcrowding in prisons and delays in trials in Lebanon lead to prolonged detention in police stations. (Getty) 
Overcrowding in prisons and delays in trials in Lebanon lead to prolonged detention in police stations. (Getty) 

The issue of Syrian prisoners in Lebanese custody has once again come to the forefront, following reports suggesting dissatisfaction from Damascus over Beirut’s delay in repatriating detainees. The leaked information also hinted at potential political and economic repercussions if the matter is not resolved.

According to these reports, the Syrian administration expressed frustration over Lebanon’s alleged foot-dragging on prisoner transfers and even warned of measures such as restricting Lebanese freight movement across Syrian territory and closing border crossings.

The reports triggered a wave of confusion in Lebanon’s political circles. However, Syrian officials were quick to deny the claims, and Lebanese authorities sought to ease tensions through direct communication.

A senior Lebanese official told Asharq Al-Awsat that “swift contacts” between Beirut and Damascus confirmed the Syrian administration’s denial of the allegations.

“The issue of Syrian prisoners remains a priority for Lebanon’s political, judicial, and security institutions and is being addressed through legal channels,” the official said. He emphasized Lebanon’s readiness to cooperate in extraditing Syrian nationals, but only in accordance with established legal and regulatory frameworks.

The controversy stemmed from a report by Syria TV claiming that Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa voiced deep dissatisfaction over the matter during a meeting with Lebanon’s Grand Mufti, Sheikh Abdul Latif Daryan. The report alleged that Al-Sharaa accused Lebanese authorities of neglecting what he described as a humanitarian issue and hinted at punitive measures.

However, sources familiar with the Mufti’s visit to Damascus categorically denied that the prisoner issue was discussed. “At no point during the meeting was the topic of Syrian prisoners raised,” one source told Asharq Al-Awsat, citing the official statement from Dar al-Fatwa, which made no mention of the issue.

There are currently more than 2,000 Syrians held in Lebanese prisons, including roughly 800 facing charges related to terrorism and security offenses. Many of them have repeatedly appealed to Syrian authorities for intervention, seeking to be transferred back home to complete their legal proceedings.

A source from Lebanon’s prison administration, under the Ministry of Justice, revealed that a joint judicial-security committee had reviewed the cases of hundreds of Syrian detainees eligible for repatriation. However, the process has stalled due to legal obstacles.

“No prisoner can be handed over without a final conviction,” the source said. “Extradition is not applicable to those still on trial, particularly if the offense was committed on Lebanese soil and involved Lebanese victims.”

Lebanon and Syria have signed multiple judicial agreements, including one on the extradition of wanted individuals. However, no deal currently exists for the transfer of convicted prisoners. According to legal sources, such an agreement would require coordination between the two countries’ justice ministries and eventual ratification by the Lebanese Parliament.

If signed, the agreement could pave the way for the repatriation of up to 370 convicted Syrian nationals currently serving sentences in Lebanon.

Syrian Justice Minister Mazhar Al-Wais is expected to visit Beirut soon for talks with Lebanese officials. The Lebanese side is optimistic that the visit could yield progress toward a formal agreement on prisoner transfers. “Lebanon has a vested interest in the repatriation of these detainees - but only under lawful and transparent procedures,” the official said. “This is not something that can be handled arbitrarily by simply sending buses to prisons.”

Tensions inside Lebanon’s prison system have escalated in recent months, particularly at Roumieh Central Prison, where “Building B” houses Islamist detainees, including Syrians accused of terrorism-related offenses. The facility has seen repeated unrest, with prisoners demanding a general amnesty and improved conditions.

On February 12, more than 100 Syrian detainees launched a hunger strike that lasted two weeks. The strike ended following a visit by a delegation from the Syrian embassy, which assured detainees that Damascus would prioritize their cases.

A Justice Ministry source confirmed that communication is ongoing between the Lebanese and Syrian justice ministries. “We have expressed full readiness to cooperate on the prisoner file,” the source said. “Once all legal procedures are in place, we’re prepared to begin the process of transferring convicted Syrian nationals to their home country.”