A Lebanese security source said Saturday that Bashar al-Assad's uncle, Rifaat al-Assad, left the country via Beirut airport around a week ago, after rebels overthrew his nephew. The source said Rifaat al-Assad departed Lebanon around a week ago and "used a diplomatic passport", without naming his destination.

An uncle of the recently ousted Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad has fled, via Lebanon, to the United Arab Emirates, according to Lebanese officials. Rifaat al-Assad, known as the “Butcher of Hama” for overseeing the violent suppression of a rebellion in the 1980s,