The village of Aïn Ebel, in southern Lebanon, has been in turmoil since the latest investigations revealed that Elias Hasrouni, head of the Bint Jbeil region within the Lebanese Forces (FL) party, did not die in following a car accident, but was allegedly the victim of an ambush. He was reportedly kidnapped and then killed before his body was abandoned in a forest in the region.
Commenting on the killing, LF leader Samir Geagea said on Wednesday: “Through surveillance cameras installed in houses near the scene of the incident, it was revealed that a carefully planned ambush, involving at least two cars, was handed to our comrade Elias.” “He was abducted by members of the ambush – between six and nine people – and then taken to another location where he was murdered,” he said.
Geagea also pointed out that the previous information is now in the hands of the authorities, including Lebanese army intelligence and General Security.
He said that “it is imperative to identify the perpetrators as soon as possible, given the sensitivity of the situation in Ain Ebel and the surrounding villages, as well as the potential consequences of this crime if those responsible are not punished. “.
The leader of the Kataëb party, deputy Sami Gemayel, also deplored the death of Elias Hasrouni and declared via the X platform (new name for Twitter) that the latter was “cowardly killed during a militia operation in his village”.
“We will not condemn or ask for the truth, because the truth is clear. Yesterday in Majdal, today in Ain Ebel and tomorrow in any region of Lebanon! The nation is taken hostage, the Lebanese are held hostage, but we are in a state of resilience and resistance, and our resolve will not be undermined,” he wrote.
The president of the municipality of Aïn Ebel, Imad Lalous, had previously confirmed to the daily An Nahar that “the kidnappers appear almost clearly in the videos, as well as their cars”, explaining that twenty minutes passed between the kidnapping and the discovery of the body of Elias al-Hasrouni, “which means that the crime was committed immediately “.
