List of assassinations in Lebanon

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of assassinations in Lebanon.

Pre-1970s[edit]

Date Victim(s) Location Method Assassin(s) Notes
1152 Raymond II of Tripoli, count of Tripoli Tripoli Killed by Hashshashin
April 28, 1192 Conrad of Montferrat Tyre Killed by Hashshashin
August 17, 1270 Philip of Montfort, Lord of Tyre Killed by Hashshashin
1528 Muhammad Agha Shu'ayb, Tripoli ruler Tripoli Assassinated along with his son in the Taynal Mosque of Tripoli.
August 6, 1921 Fouad Jumblatt founder of the Progressive Socialist Party and Druze leader Shakeeb Wahhab
October 31, 1950 Sami al-Hinnawi, Syrian head of state Beirut Shooting Hersho al-Barazi Killed by a cousin of former Prime Minister Muhsin al-Barazi, who al-Hinnawi had executed following a coup.
July 17, 1951 Riad Al Solh, first Prime minister of Lebanon Amman Shooting SSNP In revenge for the execution of Antoun Saadeh
May 8, 1958 Nasib Al Matn, Nasserist journalist Beirut Shooting Pro-Chamoun Lebanese Al Matni was assassinated in his office in West Beirut in the early hours on 8 May 1958.[1]
September 1958 Fouad Haddad, Journalist at the Kataeb Party's Al Amal newspaper Beirut Abduction Kidnapped in Beirut and killed in September 1958.[2]
October 13, 1958 Waheed el Solh, aide to Prime Minister Sami Solh Beirut Sniperfire Assassinated during the 1958 Lebanon Crisis
July 12, 1959 Naim Moghabghab, Member of Parliament for the National Liberal Party Shooting Progressive Socialist Party killed when opponents attacked him in his car
May 16, 1966 Kamel Mrowa, the publisher of Al-Hayat and The Daily Star newspapers Beirut Shooting Adnan Chaker Sultani (INM) Shot at his office in Beirut.[3]

1970s[edit]

Date Victim(s) Location Method Assassin(s) Notes
March 4, 1972 Muhammad Umran, former Minister of Defense of Syria Tripoli Shooting Shot outside his home in Tripoli
July 8, 1972 Ghassan Kanafani, Palestinian writer & spokesperson for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine Beirut Bomb Mossad Killed by a 3-kg bomb attached to his car in Beirut along with his 17-year old niece.
April 9, 1973 Kamal Adwan, senior Fatah officer Beirut Raid Israel Defence Force See IDF seaborne attack
Muhammad Youssef al-Najjar, member of the Palestine Liberation Organization executive Wife and elderly neighbor also killed in response to the Munich massacre
Kamal Nasser, Palestinian poet See 1973 Israeli raid on Lebanon
March 6, 1975 Maarouf Saad, Member of Parliament for Sidon Sidon Shooting Lebanese Army (Alleged) Shot during a fisherman's protest and later died in a Beirut hospital
July 15, 1975 Amine Abouchahine, senior member of the Progressive Socialist Party Kataeb Regulatory Forces
May 25, 1976 Linda Jumblatt, sister of Kamal Jumblatt Beirut Shooting She was killed in her apartment in Beirut's eastern suburbs. Her two daughters were also injured.[4]
June 16, 1976 Francis E. Meloy, Jr., United States Ambassador to Lebanon Beirut Abduction PFLP Kidnapped by members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the bullet-riddled bodies had been found on a garbage dump near the beach in Ramlet al-Baida
June 16, 1976 Robert O. Waring, US Economic Counselor to Lebanon
March 16, 1977 Kamal Jumblatt, Druze leader Baakleen Shooting Unknown Kamal Jumblatt was gunned down in his car near the village of Baakline in the Chouf mountains by unidentified gunmen.[5][6][7] His bodyguard and driver also died in the attack.[5]
June 7, 1978[8] Joud el Bayeh, Kataeb Party leader in Zgharta and Marada Movement affiliate Zgharta Marada Movement His assassination is believed to have triggered the Ehden massacre.[8]
June 13, 1978 Tony Frangieh, Christian leader Ehden Mass killing Phalangists Killed by Phalangists led by Elie Hobeika during the Ehden massacre
January 22, 1979 Ali Hassan Salameh, Fatah security chief and CIA asset Beirut Car bomb Mossad Killed in a car bomb along with eight other people in Beirut

1980s[edit]

Date Victim(s) Location Method Assassin(s) Notes
March 6, 1980 Salim Lawzi, journalist Aramoun Syrian intelligence agents He was kidnapped by gunmen on the Airport Road on 25 February 1980. His heavily bruised tortured body was found nine days later on 4 March 1980 in Aramoun, on the outskirts of Beirut.[9]
May 2, 1980 Hassan al-Shirazi, Iraqi-Iranian Shia scholar Borj el Brajneh Shooting Ba'ath officers Thirteen bullets hit al-Shirazi, mostly in his head, killing him.[10]
July 23, 1980 Riad Taha, journalist and president of the Lebanese Publishers Association. Beirut Shooting Although there have been rumors that Syrian intelligence killed him, there is also another report, stating that Taha was killed due to the feud between his family and another Shiite family.[11]
July 28, 1980 Musa Shuaib, poet and member of Ba'ath Party Beirut Car bomb Killed by a car bomb at Beirut International Airport along with three others
August 16, 1981 Elias Hannush, NLP commander Beirut Shooting Leftist gunmen His nine-year-old daughter, his seven-year-old son, and two bodyguards were also gunned down.[12]
September 4, 1981 Louis Delamare, French ambassador Beirut Shooting Red Knights Was shot at a checkpoint in Beirut.
April 1982 Sheikh Ahmad Assaf, Sunni cleric[13] Beirut Shooting Leftist gunmen Gunned down by three assailants while driving home from a mosque in West Beirut.
September 14, 1982 Bachir Gemayel, President-elect of Lebanon Beirut Bombing Habib Tanious Shartouni Bomb explosion in the Kataeb's Beirut headquarters.[14]
September 29, 1982 Saad Sayel, senior PLO commander Rayak Shooting Abu Nidal Group He was taken by ambulance to the Mowasat hospital in Damascus, where he died from severe bleeding.
April 18, 1983 Robert Ames, CIA chief Beirut Suicide van Hezbollah A suicide bombing in Beirut, Lebanon, that killed 32 Lebanese, 17 Americans, and 14 visitors and passers-by. The victims were mostly embassy and CIA staff members.
Kenneth Haas, Station Chief
James Lewis, CIA officer
Janet Lee Stevens, American journalist
William R. McIntyre, deputy director of the United States Agency for International Development
December 1, 1983 Sheik Halim Takieddin, Druze leader[15] Beirut Shooting Unknown Was found dead at his home in West Beirut.
January 19, 1984 Malcolm H. Kerr, President of the AUB Beirut Shooting Islamic Jihad Organisation Shot by two gunmen outside his office
February 14, 1984 Ghaith Khoury, Kataeb leader in Jbeil Okaibe Shooting "George Sh." His wife was also killed due to her injuries
March 1984 Peter Kilburn Abduction Hezbollah (Islamic Jihad)
February 16, 1984 Ragheb Harb, Shia leader in south Lebanon Jibchit Shooting Collaborators working for Shin Bet Shot outside home
December 28, 1984 Sheikh Khalil al Tawil, Druze leader Baakleen Shooting Was killed by four gunmen[16]
June 3, 1985 William Francis Buckley, officer at the U.S. embassy Execution Hezbollah (Islamic Jihad) Abducted in Beirut on March 16 1984. Executed in 1985.
May 18, 1987 Mahdi Amel, Marxist intellectual and militant Shooting
June 1, 1987 Rashid Karami, Prime Minister of Lebanon Beirut Helicopter bombing Syria (alleged) Killed by bomb aboard helicopter, planted by the Lebanese Forces.[14]
August 2, 1987 Mohammad Choucair, advisor to President Amine Gemayel Beirut Syrian agents Killed in his West Beirut apartment
February 9, 1989 Anwar al-Fatayri, Progressive Socialist Party official Deri el Qamar Shooting Officer in the Lebanese army Shot at a public event
May 1, 1989 Sobhi Saleh, head of the Sunni Islamic Higher Council.
February 17, 1987 Husayn Muruwwa, Marxist philosopher Beirut Shooting Unknown Shot in his head by gunmen at his house
André Mass, director of USJ in Saida Sidon Shooting Unknown Three men stormed into his office and killed him.
May 16, 1989 Hassan Khaled, leader of Sunni community Beirut Car bomb Syrian intelligence agents Khaled and 21 others were killed.[17]
September 21, 1989 Nazem Qadri, Member of Parliament from Beqaa region Beirut Shooting Syrian intelligence agents Driver also killed
November 22, 1989 René Moawad, President of Lebanon Beirut Car bomb Unknown Killed along with 23 others when a 250-kg car bomb exploded while he was being driven through West Beirut

1990s[edit]

Date Victim(s) Location Method Assassin(s) Notes
January 19, 1990 Elias Zayek, Kataeb commander Byblos Shooting Lebanese Forces Was shot and killed in Jbeil
October 21, 1990 Dany Chamoun, son of former President Camille Chamoun Beirut Shooting Syrian occupation army[18] Killed along with his wife and 2 sons. Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea was convicted but later cleared of the murder.
December 1991 Mustafa Jeha, writer and Al-Amal contributer[19] Beirut Shooting Hezbollah He was a critic of Hezbollah and Iran
February 16, 1992 Abbas al-Musawi, Secretary-General of Hezbollah Nabatieh Airstrike IDF Killed in an airstrike which also killed his wife, son and four others
August 6, 1993 Henri Philippe Pharaoun, former Foreign Minister Beirut Stabbing Former bodyguard Was murdered in his bedroom at the Carlton Hotel[20]
January 29, 1994 Naib Ma'ayta, First Secretary of the Jordanian Embassy[21] Beirut Shooting Fatah Shot in head and chest by lone gunman outside his Beirut apartment[22]
April 13, 1994 Talib Suhayl al-Tamimi, leading member of the Council for a Free Iraq. Beirut Shooting Iraqi intelligence Four diplomats from the Iraqi embassy detained. One died in prison, the other three sent back to Iraq in 1996[23]
August 31, 1995 Nizar al-Halabi, leader of the Al-Ahbash Sufi movement[24] Beirut Shooting members of Osbat al-Ansar Killed instantly when gunmen in a white Mercedes opened fire on his car in West Beirut

2000s[edit]

Date Victim(s) Location Method Assassin(s) Notes
January 30, 2000 Aql Hashem, Colonel in the South Lebanon Army Debel Bombing Hezbollah Killed by a remote-controlled bomb in his farm outside Debel. The planning and execution of the operation was filmed and broadcast by Hizbollah's own TV-station Al-Manar.
January 24, 2002 Elie Hobeika, militia leader Hazmiyeh Car bomb Disputed Killed by a car bomb near his house in the Beirut suburb of Hazmiyeh. The explosion killed three other people, including his two bodyguards, and wounded six more people.[25]
May 7, 2002 Ramzi Irani, Lebanese Forces student representative at Lebanese University Beirut Execution Cold case Was walking down Hamra Street on his way to celebrate the birthday of his 5-year-old daughter, Yasmina when he was kidnapped without a trace.
May 17, 2003 Abdullah Shraidi, former leader of Osbat al-Nour Ain el-Hilweh Shooting Fatah Shraidi died two months later, in July,[26] from wounds sustained during the shooting.
May 20, 2002 Jihad Ahmed Jibril, leader of the military wing of the PFLP-GC Beirut Car bomb Mossad A 2 kg TNT booby trap had been put under the driver's seat of his car. The blast occurred in a crowded commercial center in Beirut's Mar Elias district.
May 2, 2004 Pierre Boulos, former chairman of LF students' branch Gemmayzeh Abduction Found dead in his car outside the Gemayze Hospital after disappearing.[27]
July 19, 2004 Ghaleb Awwali, Amal official Beirut Car bomb Killed by a car bomb in Beirut
February 14, 2005 Rafik Hariri, billionaire and former Prime Minister of Lebanon Beirut Car bomb Hezbollah Killed, along with more than 20 others by a one tonne truck bomb that exploded as his motorcade passed by in Beirut. See Assassination of Rafic Hariri
Bassel Fleihan, Economics Minister in the Hariri government Beirut Car bomb Hezbollah Travelling in Hariri's motorcade, died of wounds sustained in explosion. See Assassination of Rafic Hariri
June 2, 2005 Samir Kassir, columnist at "An Nahar" newspaper and fierce critic of Syria Beirut Car bomb Syria Kassir was assassinated using a car bomb in Beirut on 2 June 2005, just a few days after the general elections.[28]
June 21, 2005 George Hawi, former chief of the Lebanese Communist Party Beirut Car bomb Hezbollah When a bomb planted in his Mercedes car was detonated by remote control, as he travelled through Beirut's Wata Musaitbi neighbourhood.[29]
December 12, 2005 Gibran Tueni, Editor in Chief of "An Nahar" newspaper Mkalles Car bomb Strugglers for the Unity and Freedom of al-Sham Two of his bodyguards were also killed in the blast.
May 26, 2006 Mahmoud al-Majzoub, Palestinian Islamic Jihad official Sidon Car bomb Mossad His brother Nidal al-Majzoub also died in the explosion.
November 21, 2006 Pierre Gemayel, Minister of Industry Jdeideh Shooting Strugglers for the Unity and Freedom of al-Sham The day before Lebanese Independence Day, at least three to four gunmen opened fire at close range on Gemayel with five different types of suppressed automatic weapons
June 13, 2007 Walid Eido, Future Party member of the Lebanese Parliament Beirut Car bomb Syrian intelligence Several citizens were also killed, two of whom were Nejmeh footballers, Hussein Naeem and Hussein Dokmak.
September 19, 2007 Antoine Ghanim, member of the Lebanese Parliament Sin el Fil Car bomb Syrian intelligence The car-bomb that killed him along with at least six others, including his two bodyguards, one of whom is Antoine Daou.
December 12, 2007 François al-Hajj, General Baabda Car bomb Syrian intelligence Four other people, including his bodyguard, also died in the attack.[30]
January 25, 2008 Wissam Eid, senior intelligence official within the Internal Security Forces of Lebanon Hazmiyeh Car bomb Syrian intelligence A car bomb attack containing an explosive charge of at least 50 kg of explosives killed him, along with his bodyguard and two civilians
February 12, 2008 Imad Mughniyah, senior Hezbollah member Kafr Sousa Car bomb Mossad Killed by a car bomb blast at around 23:00 in the Kafr Sousa neighborhood of Damascus, Syria.
September 10, 2008 Saleh al Aridi, leader of the Lebanese Democratic Party Baissour Car bomb Unknown Killed by a 700gm bomb placed in his car outside his home in Aley District
March 23, 2009 Kamal Naji, deputy representative of the PLO in Lebanon Mieh Mieh Bomb Israel (alleged) Naji and three others were killed when a roadside bomb exploded as his convoy was passing the Kifah el Musallah security check point to Mieh Mieh camp near Sidon.[31]

2010s[edit]

Date Victim(s) Location Method Assassin(s) Notes
October 19, 2012 Wissam al-Hassan, head of information branch of the Internal Security Forces Beirut Car bomb Syrian intelligence Seven other people including his driver also died and nearly eighty people were wounded in the huge blast.[32]
December 4, 2013 Hassan al-Laqqis, military commander of Hezbollah Hadath Shooting ISIS in Lebanon A number of gunmen shot him in the head in his car from close range as he arrived at his home
December 27, 2013 Mohamad Chatah, former finance minister, ambassador to the United States, and advisor to Prime Minister Saad Hariri Beirut Car bomb Hezbollah Killed by a car bomb in Beirut. Presumed to be because Chatah was mentioned as a potential candidate for prime minister. Saad Hariri hinted that he believed the assassins to be from Hezbollah.[33]
February 20, 2014 Abdulrahman Diab, Arab Democratic Party official[34] Tripoli Shooting Unknown Gunned down in his car by passing motorcyclists

2020's[edit]

Date Victim(s) Location Method Assassin(s) Notes
February 4, 2021 Lokman Slim, publisher, political activist and commentator Sidon District Shooting Hezbollah Stated that Hezbollah supporters had been threatening him at his home and accusing him of treason before his murder.[35]
July 30, 2023 Abu Ashraf al Armoushi, Fatah militant Ain el-Hilweh Shooting Shabab Al-Muslim Islamist militants ambushed a Fatah military general in a parking lot, killing him and three bodyguards.
August 6, 2023 Elias Hasrouni, former Lebanese Forces official[36] Ain Ebel Shooting Hezbollah Lebanese Forces veteran was found murdered in his car at his hometown.
January 2, 2024 Saleh al-Arouri, deputy leader of Hamas Dahieh Airstrike IDF Killed along with six others by an Israeli drone strike in Dahieh, Beirut.[37]
January 8, 2024 Wissam al-Tawil, commander in Hezbollah's Radwan Force. Majdel Selm Airstrike IDF Highest ranking Hezbollah official killed during the 2023 Israel–Hezbollah conflict.[38]
April 7, 2024 Pascal Suleiman, Lebanese Forces coordinator Byblos Shooting Syrian gang His abandoned body was found by Syrian soldiers in the Hawit area of Syria. Motives remain unknown.[39]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ K. S. (September 1958). "The Lebanese Crisis in Perspective". The World Today. 14 (9): 369–380. JSTOR 40393919.
  2. ^ "A century of Attacks on Free Expression". Kateeb.org. 6 May 2015. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  3. ^ "A century of Attacks on Free Expression". Kateeb.org. 6 May 2015. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  4. ^ Times, Henry Tanner Special to The New York (1976-05-28). "Sister of Moslem Leader Is Murdered in Lebanon". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
  5. ^ a b O'Ballance, Edgar (1998). Civil War in Lebanon, 1975-92. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 62. ISBN 978-0-312-21593-4.
  6. ^ Llewellyn, Tim (2010). Spirit of the Phoenix: Beirut and the Story of Lebanon. I.B.Tauris. p. xiii. ISBN 978-1-84511-735-1.
  7. ^ Knudsen, Are (2010). "Acquiescence to Assassinations in Post-Civil War Lebanon?". Mediterranean Politics. 15 (1): 1–23. doi:10.1080/13629391003644611. S2CID 154792218.
  8. ^ a b "Kataëb-Marada: les grandes dates". L'Orient-Le Jour. 2019-04-24. Retrieved 2021-01-16.
  9. ^ Fouad Ajami (29 May 1992). The Arab Predicament: Arab Political Thought and Practice since 1967. Cambridge University Press. p. 2. ISBN 978-0-521-43833-9.
  10. ^ "al-Shahid al-Mufaker Ayat Allah al-Sayid Hasan al-Shirazi" [The martyr and thinker Ayatollah Sayyid Hassan al-Shirazi]. almodarresi.com (in Arabic). Retrieved 2020-06-13.
  11. ^ "Feuds rampant in Lebanon". The Spokesman Review. Beirut. AP. 16 September 1982. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  12. ^ https://www.ictj.org/sites/default/files/ICTJ-Report-Lebanon-Mapping-2013-EN_0.pdf
  13. ^ "Moslems and Christians in rare show of unity - UPI Archives". UPI. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
  14. ^ a b "Historic Assassinations Since 1865," The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2004, p.156 (World Almanac 2004)
  15. ^ Hijazi, Ihsan A. (1983-12-02). "DRUSE RELIGIOUS LEADER IS SLAIN AT HOME IN BEIRUT". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
  16. ^ "Druze Sheikh Khalil al Tawil assassinated". The Centre for Social Sciences Research & Action. 2014-09-23. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
  17. ^ Sunni Muslim chief killed in Lebanon The New York Times.
  18. ^ "Lebanon Historical Conflict Mapping and Analysis". Civil Society Knowledge Centre. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  19. ^ "Mustafa Jeha". Committee to Protect Journalists. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
  20. ^ "Arrest in Beirut Slaying". The Washington Post. 1993-08-09.
  21. ^ "Lebanese Hold 4 Palestinians In Killing of Jordan Diplomat". The New York Times. 1994-02-13. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
  22. ^ Middle East International No 468, 4 February 1994, Publishers Lord Mayhew, Dennis Walters MP; Gerald Butt p.11
  23. ^ Middle East International No 543, 7 February 1997; Giles Trendle p.12
  24. ^ Middle East International No 508, 8 September 1995; G.H.Jansen pp.13-14
  25. ^ MacFarquhar, Neil (25 January 2002). "Car Bomb Kills Figure in 1982 Lebanese Massacre". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
  26. ^ "Tensions high in Palestinian refugee camp". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 2019-12-20.
  27. ^ https://www.lebanese-forces.com/2009/10/05/62726/
  28. ^ "Chronology Of Events: 2005". Mediterranean Politics. 11 (2): 279–308. 2006. doi:10.1080/13629390600683048. S2CID 220378402.
  29. ^ Mallat, Chibli. Lebanon's Cedar Revolution An essay on non-violence and justice (PDF). Mallat. p. 124. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 February 2012.
  30. ^ "François al-Hajj assassinated". NOW Lebanon. 12 December 2007. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  31. ^ Medhat received death threats – Fatah leader
  32. ^ Al Sharif, Osama (24 October 2012). "Lebanon at the edge of precipice". Al Arabiya. Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
  33. ^ "Lebanon: Hezbollah critic Mohamad Chatah's murder blamed on Shia". Independent.co.uk. 27 December 2013.
  34. ^ "Arab Democratic Party Official Shot Dead in Tripoli amid Flare up". Naharnet. 20 February 2014. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
  35. ^ Jenkins, Cameron (2021-02-04). "Lebanese activist who spoke out against Hezbollah found dead in car". TheHill. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  36. ^ Prentis, Jamie (11 August 2023). "Murder claims after suspicious death of Lebanese Forces official in south Lebanon". The National. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  37. ^ "Israeli drone kills deputy Hamas chief in Beirut". Reuters. 2023-01-02. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  38. ^ "حزب الله يعلن استشهاد أرفع قيادي بصفوفه منذ بدء الحرب مع الاحتلال ...الشرق الأوسط" [Hezbollah announces the martyrdom of its highest-ranking leader since the start of the war with the occupation... The Middle East] (in Arabic). pressbee. 8 January 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  39. ^ "الوكالة الوطنية للإعلام - Army receives body of citizen Pascal Suleiman from Syrian authorities". National News Agency. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
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