France issues arrest warrant for Syrian President over alleged war crimes

Syrian President Bashar Assad is alleged to have been involved in war crimes and crimes against humanity (AP)

French authorities have issued international arrest warrants for Syrian President Bashar Assad, his brother and two army generals, alleging their involvement in war crimes and crimes against humanity including in the chemical attack in 2013 on rebel-held Damascus suburbs, lawyers said.

In addition to President Assad, the arrest warrants were issued for his brother, Maher Assad, the commander of the fourth armoured division, and two Syrian army generals, Ghassan Abbas and Bassam al-Hassan.