News / Lebanon

Unknown gunmen assassinate Muslim Brotherhood official in southern Lebanon

Monday, 10 June 2019 1:48 PM [ Last Update: Monday, 10 June 2019 1:54 PM ]

Late Mohammed Jarrar, slain head of the Public Relations Department of al-Jama'a al-Islamiyya political party (file photo)

Unidentified assailants have shot and killed an official affiliated with the Lebanese branch of the Muslim Brotherhood in Lebanon’s southeastern border town of Chebaa.

Security sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, told English-language The Daily Star newspaper that Mohammed Jarrar, who was in charge of Public Relations Department of al-Jama'a al-Islamiyya political party as well as a medical center in the area, received a phone call at round 11 p.m. local time (2000 GMT) on Sunday from someone, claiming to want to donate to the center.

The caller then asked to meet Jarrar by the medical center, which lies just next to his house.

Closed-circuit television footage recorded moments afterward shows Jarrar waiting outside the medical center, before being hit by four gunshots to the abdomen and falling to the ground. The attackers then fled the area to an unknown location.

It wasn't immediately clear if the killing was politically motivated.

Lebanese Army and security forces cordoned off the area after the incident, and launched an investigation to arrest the perpetrators.

Jama'a al-Islamiyya condemned the assassination in a statement, saying Jarrar was murdered by “the hand of treachery, collaboration and treason as he was performing his duty.”

“He was offering social, health, medical and relief services to oppressed and needy people, ranging from widows and children of his region to (Syrian) refugee brothers,” the statement read.

The Future Movement and the Palestinian Hamas resistance movement both condemned the attack in separate statements.

The Future Movement called on the Lebanese security forces and judiciary officials to quickly reveal the circumstances surrounding the crime, and arrest the attackers.

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