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Bassil Accuses Hezbollah Candidate for Lebanese Presidency of Corruption

Bassil delivers his address on Saturday. (FPM website)
Bassil delivers his address on Saturday. (FPM website)
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Bassil Accuses Hezbollah Candidate for Lebanese Presidency of Corruption

Bassil delivers his address on Saturday. (FPM website)
Bassil delivers his address on Saturday. (FPM website)

Head of Lebanon’s Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) MP Gebran Bassil ended on Saturday all hopes for a “comprehensive settlement” over the presidency after launching a scathing attack against the FPM’s ally, Hezbollah.

During an address before an FPM youth gathering, the MP delivered messages to “internal and foreign players, rivals and allies alike” about the presidential impasse.

They want to “carry out reforms, but at the same time, they want to choose a corrupt president and prime minister and the most corrupt central bank governor. They would then get upset when we decline their offer. No, a thousand times no.”

He rejected “threats of chaos, sanctions, and vacuum at the government and parliament.”

“We choose a president with our convictions and no one can impose them in us,” continued Bassil.

His remarks were understood as a reference Hezbollah and Amal-backed presidential candidate, head of the Marada movement former minister and MP Suleiman Franjieh.

A leading source from the FPM did not deny the accusation.

“They are directed against anyone who can be imposed by chaos. Let them interpret the remarks as they wish,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Bassil’s statements “were a message to everyone inside Lebanon and abroad who speak of chaos,” he stated.

“His remarks were very clear,” he added.

Lebanon has been without a president since October when the term of Michel Aoun, Bassil’s father-in-law, ended. Several elections sessions have been held at parliament since but no single candidate has garnered enough votes to be declared the winner.

Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah had warned on Thursday of chaos erupting in Lebanon over the ongoing political impasse. Security and political circles echoed his warning.

Parliamentary sources opposed to the FPM told Asharq Al-Awsat: “Bassil’s remarks effectively mark the end of relations with Hezbollah and the understanding struck with it.”

“We have entered a dangerous phase with Bassil’s rejection of a complete settlement that is being prepared by internal political powers,” they said.

The settlement will cover the presidency, government and position of central bank governor.

The term of current governor, Riad Salameh, ends in the summer.

Leading sources at the FPM played down Bassil’s latest statements, saying his strong opposition to Franjieh’s nomination is well-known and he has previously expressed it on several occasions.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, the sources explained that Bassil refuses the election of a president who would cover up corruption. He also refuses the idea of a president being imposed on the country to end chaos caused by the political deadlock.

The FPM is demanding the election of a president who enjoys backing by local and foreign powers.

“We are the only party that is demanding dialogue as part of a complete program aimed at resolving the crisis,” they stressed.

“We want the election of a president and we have sacrificed our candidate to facilitate the process,” they added. “Our allies and rivals must therefore, meet us halfway as part of the complete program.”

Meanwhile, head of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc MP Mohammed Raad said: “We had offered to all the Lebanese the opportunity to reach an understanding over a president who can lead the country during this phase.”

“We refuse the candidacy of a divisive figure, given that the country cannot handle more strain,” he remarked.

“We have not declared our candidate, but we have a figure in mind,” he said. “We want a president who would be open to and can approach all sides.”

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Arab World

Asharq Al-Awsat Follows Sweeping Security Campaign Against Former Regime Remnants in Aleppo

 A number of wanted people arrested during the security campaign in Aleppo (security sources) 
 A number of wanted people arrested during the security campaign in Aleppo (security sources) 
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Asharq Al-Awsat Follows Sweeping Security Campaign Against Former Regime Remnants in Aleppo

 A number of wanted people arrested during the security campaign in Aleppo (security sources) 
 A number of wanted people arrested during the security campaign in Aleppo (security sources) 

For a third consecutive day, Syrian security forces continued a sweeping campaign in Aleppo in the north, led by Internal Security forces and the Counterterrorism Department, targeting former leaders and members of the ousted regime of Bashar Assad accused of war crimes.

The operation is the second of its kind in Aleppo this year and has led to the arrest of several former regime officers, most notably Brig. Gen. Hamada Ali Murad, a military pilot, in the town of Nubl. It also targeted a network of former regime members and allied militia personnel.

Sources at Aleppo’s Internal Security Directorate told Asharq Al-Awsat that more than 50 people have been detained so far, including former officers, personnel and informants, in operations across the city and surrounding countryside conducted with the Counterterrorism Service.

Murad was arrested in Nubl over accusations that he was responsible for numerous violations against civilians and facilitated alleged illicit activities by members of his family, including looting homes, seizing properties and selling them.

The sources said the operation followed an extensive assessment of those targeted, surveillance of their activities and the gathering of evidence of their alleged involvement in widespread crimes and abuses against civilians. Accusations and individual complaints against them included war crimes, intimidation, extortion, robbery, and the exploitation and sale of property belonging to civilians and displaced people.

They noted that security operations in Aleppo and its countryside would continue until their objectives were achieved, namely arresting wanted former regime personnel and other suspects found to have been involved with terrorist groups or committed acts of violence against civilians.

A Pilot and Allegations Involving His Family

Murad, from Nubl, graduated with the 30th class of the Air Force Academy as a helicopter pilot. He previously served with the 63rd Helicopter Air Brigade at Taftanaz air base in the Idlib countryside, initially as the brigade’s security officer. He was later transferred to the Air Force Academy as an instructor and subsequently served as an officer at the Air Force Institute.

At the beginning of the Syrian uprising against the former regime, Murad was transferred to the Air Force Intelligence branch in Aleppo as a liaison officer. According to the sources, he coordinated between the branch and pilots, relaying and directing information concerning air sorties and identifying areas targeted for bombardment in Aleppo and its countryside.

After fighting in Aleppo subsided, Murad was appointed director of the Air Force Training Institute. Information cited by the sources also points to the alleged involvement of several members of his family in theft and the seizure of homes during the uprising, exploiting Murad’s position.

In a statement on its official channels, the Internal Security Directorate said a pilot — whom it did not name — had been detained in an operation conducted with the Counterterrorism Department targeting people it described as “wanted individuals involved in committing crimes against civilians.”

It said investigations were continuing “to uncover the full circumstances of his activities during the era of the ousted regime.”

Group Leaders and Members Detained

Sources at Aleppo’s Internal Security Directorate said the latest operation did not target “mere names,” but groups that had been affiliated with and fought alongside the former regime, with both group leaders and members detained.

According to the sources, security forces dismantled a group led by Khaled Hazari that had previously operated in Aleppo’s Old City, arresting Hazari, Firas Kako, Zakaria al-Ahmad and others. Another group led by Hamdi Mardali was also dismantled. Mardali was detained in the Bab al-Hadid neighborhood of the Old City, while Nour al-Din Alwan was also arrested.

Director of Public Relations at the Aleppo Media Directorate, Moataz Khattab, wrote on his personal account that several wanted individuals had been detained, including Hassan Raghed al-Ibrahim and his son, Raghed Hussein al-Ibrahim. The two had served with the Fourth Division’s 555th Regiment before moving to the former Republican Guard’s 155th Battalion.

The father is accused of informing on his brother, who later died in Saydnaya prison, as well as three of his cousins, and of seizing their property. He is also accused of illegally selling more than 40 properties belonging to people displaced from Aleppo during the uprising.

Khattab also named Nour Alwan, whom he described as involved in crimes against Syrians; Hossam al-Saad, a former fighter with Liwa al-Quds; and Khaled al-Shahoud, known as Abu Watan, whom he described as accused of working with Air Force Intelligence under the former regime.

Internal Security Responds to Appeal

The father of one detainee, Khaled Mohammed Abed, submitted an appeal to Internal Security authorities requesting his son’s release and a broader review of his security file and the accusations against him.

He maintained that his son had not been in areas controlled by the former regime throughout the years of the uprising and requested an urgent review because his son suffers from a heart condition.

The father asked security authorities to take whatever action they deemed appropriate after examining his son’s case and what he described as malicious accusations against him. He also requested that his son’s reputation be restored legally and in the media following what he described as defamation and abuse on social media.

Aleppo’s Internal Security Directorate confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that Khaled al-Abed had been released because of insufficient evidence and the weakness of the accusations against him. It said his health condition had also been taken into account, prompting authorities to expedite the investigation and his release.

 

 

 

 

Arab World

Iraq’s Governing Coalition Sidesteps Arms Issue, Warns of Fallout from Iran Sanctions

The State Administration Coalition meets on Saturday. (INA)
The State Administration Coalition meets on Saturday. (INA)
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Iraq’s Governing Coalition Sidesteps Arms Issue, Warns of Fallout from Iran Sanctions

The State Administration Coalition meets on Saturday. (INA)
The State Administration Coalition meets on Saturday. (INA)

Iraq’s State Administration Coalition, which brings together Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish forces, sidestepped the issue of bringing weapons under state control while warning of the potential repercussions for Iraq from US sanctions on Iran.

The State Administration Coalition, the political umbrella formed in 2022, met late Saturday at the request of Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi.

It called for filling vacant cabinet positions and advancing the oil and gas bill, while stressing the need to shield Iraq from the effects of US sanctions on “some countries,” an apparent reference to Iran, amid difficult financial conditions.

The statement said the country was going through circumstances that “cannot tolerate risk.”

The government remains incomplete, with nine ministerial posts still vacant, notably the defense and interior portfolios, because of disputes within the Sunni and Shiite camps.

The coalition said gatherers agreed to begin talks next week with the blocs entitled to the remaining portfolios, while maintaining coordination among coalition members and supporting state institutions in confronting current challenges.

They also discussed the draft oil and gas law ahead of its referral to parliament, as well as support for the private sector as a partner in development.

Al-Zaidi under pressure

Observers in Baghdad noted that while al-Zaidi is working to implement a government program endorsed by the coalition, political forces now appear chiefly concerned with completing the cabinet without giving sufficient attention to bringing weapons under state control or combating financial and administrative corruption.

An informed source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the omission of the weapons issue reflected the depth of political divisions within the State Administration Coalition, particularly among forces in the Shiite Coordination Framework, which holds a majority in parliament and within the coalition itself.

The source, who is close to Sunni political forces, said Kurdish and Sunni parties support measures taken by al-Zaidi, but their positions run up against the Shiite majority whenever issues are put to a vote inside the coalition.

It added that Coordination Framework forces publicly support the prime minister but are divided over several issues concerning the Shiite bloc itself, including bringing weapons under state control, deputy prime minister posts and the leadership of the Popular Mobilization Forces.

Fayyad dispute

While some Kurdish and Sunni forces have settled on their ministerial nominees through consensus, majority votes or political trade-offs, the main disputes among Shiite factions center on two issues.

The first is the position of Popular Mobilization Forces chief Faleh al-Fayyad, who is also a leading member of the Coordination Framework.

The second concerns deputy prime minister posts, with Asaib Ahl al-Haq, led by Qais al-Khazali, insisting on obtaining the Shiite share of the position.

The group argues that it has the right to the post because it is the second-largest Shiite parliamentary bloc after former Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s Reconstruction and Development Coalition and Nouri al-Maliki’s State of Law Coalition.

Asaib Ahl al-Haq now openly opposes al-Fayyad remaining as PMF chief. Disputes within the Shiite camp have shifted to whether he should retire because of his age or be compensated with another position. Meanwhile, the PMF leadership would go to another figure, from Asaib Ahl al-Haq or elsewhere, provided that person is not from al-Maliki’s State of Law Coalition, which supports al-Fayyad remaining in the post.

Arab World

Israeli ‘Gray Line’ Plan Would See Withdrawal from Most Occupied Lebanese Territory

An excavator digs as rescuers search for survivors amidst the rubble following an overnight Israeli airstrike on the village of Kfar Rumman in southern Lebanon on September 7, 2026. (AFP)
An excavator digs as rescuers search for survivors amidst the rubble following an overnight Israeli airstrike on the village of Kfar Rumman in southern Lebanon on September 7, 2026. (AFP)
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Israeli ‘Gray Line’ Plan Would See Withdrawal from Most Occupied Lebanese Territory

An excavator digs as rescuers search for survivors amidst the rubble following an overnight Israeli airstrike on the village of Kfar Rumman in southern Lebanon on September 7, 2026. (AFP)
An excavator digs as rescuers search for survivors amidst the rubble following an overnight Israeli airstrike on the village of Kfar Rumman in southern Lebanon on September 7, 2026. (AFP)

An Israeli plan has emerged for a withdrawal from most occupied Lebanese territory, with troops remaining two to four kilometers inside Lebanon along what has been dubbed the “gray line,” replacing the currently occupied “yellow line.”

The plan comes after the Israeli military announced it had established operational control over the Ali al-Taher ridge in South Lebanon and begun destroying an underground tunnel complex built by Hezbollah.

Israeli officials are now speaking of “sensitive days” ahead on the northern front that could send the region down one of two sharply different paths: Hezbollah, and possibly Iran, could retaliate and reignite the war, or they could absorb the blow, allowing the Israeli military to withdraw from the ridge and the “yellow line” and establish a new security belt along the “gray line.”

Under that scenario, Israel would retain control of Lebanese territory extending two to four kilometers from the international border.

Israeli military sources cited by public broadcaster Kan 11 said that after establishing “operational control” and clearing tunnels and other underground infrastructure on the Ali al-Taher ridge, the military was preparing to reduce and redeploy its forces, pulling back to a new “security belt” closer to the Israeli-Lebanese border.

‘Gray line’

According to Kan 11, Israeli security officials have held discussions in recent days on establishing a new security zone closer to the border from which the military would protect Israeli border communities.

Under the proposal, Israeli forces would withdraw from the current “yellow line,” which encompasses a broader security zone and in some areas extends north of the Litani River, including Beaufort Castle and the Ali al-Taher ridge. Troops would instead deploy closer to the border.

Israeli military positions would remain inside Lebanese territory and could serve as staging points for operations deeper into Lebanon if Hezbollah activity were detected.

The military is expected to ask the Israeli government to capitalize on the new situation by reaching a political agreement with Beirut that would establish understandings on Hezbollah’s disarmament.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem has said the group would hand its weapons only to the Lebanese state as part of practical steps demonstrating an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory, insisting there could be no disarmament without a withdrawal.

Israel is setting specific conditions, including that the Lebanese Army take control of evacuated areas and commit to preventing Hezbollah from returning to its positions in the south. Israel also wants an agreed mechanism allowing it to monitor the process and intervene militarily to prevent Hezbollah’s return if the Lebanese Army fails to do so.

Kan 11 reported that the plan remains incomplete and has not yet been approved by Israel’s political leadership. Questions remain, particularly over transferring control to the Lebanese Army and negotiations between the two countries, but the plan envisages a substantial reduction in Israeli forces inside Lebanon.