Issam Buwaydani, leader of Jaish al-Islam, was arrested at Dubai airport while leaving the UAE, according to sources close to him. Buwaydani has led Jaish al-Islam since 2015 and became a defense ministry official after the group’s integration into Syria’s new authorities post-Bashar al-Assad’s overthrow. His arrest, which remains unconfirmed by the UAE, has prompted calls for his immediate release, with activists planning a demonstration in Damascus to demand it.
