SAWT BEIRUT INTERNATIONAL

| 29 March 2024, Friday |

Who is Hezbollah’s major figure who was assassinated today?

Rakan Al Khatib, a major figure in Hezbollah was assassinated today in the Western Qalamoun area bordering with Lebanon, mainly in Rankous area near Damascus, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The observatory citing civil sources in the area, said that the murdered is one of the most prominent figures working with Hezbollah in the western Qalamoun. He was at the head of the regime forces that committed a massacre against 9 young men from Rankous on January 15, 2020.

At that time, a force of the regime forces armed with armored vehicles, stormed areas in the town, after receiving information that there were gunmen from the townspeople who had no connection with the factions, but they refused to “compromise” and move to Idlib and preferred to stay in the outskirts of the area out of sight.

As a result, clashes took place for several hours between the two parties, which resulted in the killing of an officer from the regime forces, accompanied by 3 other members, in addition to the killing of 9 local gunmen who used to be in the town late at night, as well as a spy during the clashes. Rankous town has tightened security by the regime’s checkpoints, and deployed checkpoints belonging to armed militias close to “Hezbollah” in the area following the assassination.

It is noteworthy that the Rankous massacre, which was carried out by the Syrian regime forces and Hezbollah’s troops, left more than 11 young men dead, including only two wanted by the regime forces.

The reason for raiding the town at that time, and the massacre, was the disappearance of a group of 20 young men wanted by the regime, who refused to settle their affairs during the period when the area was evacuated from the opposition factions and preferred to stay in its barrens rather than leave towards northern Syria.

    Source:
  • RT