A former Syrian intelligence officer who was close to one of ousted ruler Bashar al-Assad’s top army commanders was killed in Lebanon, a judicial official said Tuesday, with the army announcing it had arrested a suspect.
It was the first confirmation since Assad’s ouster in December last year of a former Syrian government official being present in Lebanon, though many in Syria believe Assad-era figures are hiding in the neighbouring country.
The judicial official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that the body of Ghassan al-Sukhni was found near the house where he was staying in the Kesrwan area, north of Beirut.
Lebanon’s army announced in a statement on X that it had arrested the alleged perpetrator, who it said killed Sukhni “following a financial dispute”.
The judicial official said Sukhni “sought refuge in Lebanon after the fall of the Assad regime” and was a former Syrian intelligence officer closely associated with Suhail al-Hassan.
Nicknamed “The Tiger”, Hassan led Syria’s special forces under Assad and was frequently described as the former ruler’s “favourite soldier”.
He was responsible for key military advances by the Assad government in 2015 during Syria’s civil war.
The Assad family exercised control over Lebanese affairs for decades and was accused of assassinating numerous officials in Lebanon who expressed opposition to its rule.
Lebanon and Syria have committed to turning a new page on ties since his ouster, but issues including Damascus’s demand that Beirut release Syrian nationals held in Lebanese jails remain key sticking points.
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© Agence France-Presse
