Beirut, Lebanon – Lebanese security forces recently apprehended seven Syrian individuals suspected of being involved in the abduction and murder of Lebanese Forces politician Pascal Sleiman, an opponent of the Syrian government. Sleiman, who served as the coordinator for the Lebanese Forces in the Byblos area north of Beirut, was known for his anti-Damascus and anti-Hezbollah stance.
The Lebanese Forces have condemned Sleiman’s murder as a “political assassination until proven otherwise,” while the army has suggested that the killing was motivated by a car theft. Social media speculation pointed towards Hezbollah’s involvement, although the group’s leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, denied any connection to the crime.
According to a judicial official, the suspects admitted to targeting Sleiman to steal his car. The investigation revealed that the perpetrators assaulted Sleiman with pistol butts before forcing him into the trunk of his own vehicle and driving him to Syria, where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
Damascus cooperated with Lebanese authorities by extraditing three of the suspects, and Sleiman’s body was discovered near the Syrian-Lebanese border in an area known for its lawlessness. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the victim’s body showed signs of physical trauma consistent with a violent attack.
Following news of Sleiman’s tragic fate, residents in Byblos staged demonstrations, with videos circulating on social media depicting acts of aggression towards Syrian individuals, many of whom are refugees from Syria’s protracted civil war. Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, condemned the killing and urged for calm and restraint in response to the incident.