Bodyguard of former Hizballah-linked Lebanese minister dies in police raid
Bodyguard of former Hizballah-linked Lebanese minister dies in police raid
The bodyguard of a former Lebanese minister has died following a police raid.
2 min read
Wahhab has come under fire for recent comments against Hariri [Getty]
The bodyguard of a former Lebanese minister has been left dead following a police raid, with confusion over who was responsible for the killing.
Mohammed Abu Diab was the bodyguard and a close associate of former Environment Minister Wiam Wahhab, with the politician under fire for insulting the country's prime minister.
Lebanese police raided the residence of the politician - who has close links to Hizballah and the Syrian regime - in the Druze village of Jahliyeh.
Abu Diab died of his injuries on Sunday following a shot-out and was buried in the mountain village.
The raid followed Wahhab's refusal to attend questioning over his alleged verbal attacks of prime minister-designate Saad Hariri and his family.
Lebanon is deadlocked over the formation of a new government with Hizballah refusing to accept Hariri - who opposes the movement and its ally the Syrian regime - and want an allied Sunni premier instead.
Hariri was nominated for his third term as prime minister in May but the long-awaited formation of a government has been delayed by six months of wrangling.
Hezbollah is the only political party not to have disarmed after Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war, and has backed the Bashar al-Assad's regime in neighbouring Syria.
Mohammed Abu Diab was the bodyguard and a close associate of former Environment Minister Wiam Wahhab, with the politician under fire for insulting the country's prime minister.
Lebanese police raided the residence of the politician - who has close links to Hizballah and the Syrian regime - in the Druze village of Jahliyeh.
Abu Diab died of his injuries on Sunday following a shot-out and was buried in the mountain village.
Wahhab blamed Beirut for his associate's death, but Lebanon's Internal Security Force said the fatal shots were fired by the politician's supporters.
The raid followed Wahhab's refusal to attend questioning over his alleged verbal attacks of prime minister-designate Saad Hariri and his family.
Lebanon is deadlocked over the formation of a new government with Hizballah refusing to accept Hariri - who opposes the movement and its ally the Syrian regime - and want an allied Sunni premier instead.
Hariri was nominated for his third term as prime minister in May but the long-awaited formation of a government has been delayed by six months of wrangling.
Hezbollah is the only political party not to have disarmed after Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war, and has backed the Bashar al-Assad's regime in neighbouring Syria.
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