DAMASCUS, 11 August, 2026 (Nosheen): A Syrian court on Tuesday sentenced ousted President Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia after finding him guilty of serious crimes committed during the country’s nearly 14-year-long war. The court convicted Assad of premeditated and intentional killings, including the deaths of children, torture, arbitrary arrests and crimes against humanity.The verdict marks the first conviction against Assad, who was ousted in a rebel offensive in December 2024 that brought an end to decades of authoritarian rule by his family in Syria. Assad reportedly fled Damascus as rebel forces advanced on the capital and is currently residing in Moscow. The Syrian conflict, which began in 2011, resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people and caused widespread destruction and displacement across the country.During a trial involving former government officials, the judge handed down the death sentence against Assad over multiple alleged crimes committed during his rule. Atef Najib, a former security official who served under Assad, was also sentenced to death in connection with the case.Assad, born in 1965, became president in 2000 following the death of his father, Hafez al-Assad, who had ruled Syria for nearly three decades. Bashar al-Assad continued his family’s political dominance and maintained close ties with Iran, while Syria remained a major regional opponent of Israel and the United States. The latest verdict represents a significant legal development following the collapse of Assad’s government.