Ahmed al-Assir

Ahmed al-Assir (Arabic: أحمد الأسير; born 5 May 1968) is a Lebanese former Sunni Imam[2] of the Bilal Bin Rabah Mosque in Sidon[3] (considered by some a Salafi[4][5][6]).

With his increasing involvement in regional politics, especially after the Syrian Civil War, he has become a notorious personality in Lebanon's political landscape, and frequently agitated against Iran and Hezbollah[7] After being a wanted fugitive for years, Al-Assir was detained on 15 August 2015 by Lebanese General Security officials while attempting to flee[8] to Egypt using a forged passport in Beirut International Airport.

[9] Upon his capture, it was revealed that he had undergone physical changes in appearance and attire;[10][8] with a shaved beard, new clothing style and facial modifications, suggesting the use of plastic surgery.

[15] Assir's notoriety increased after a series of sermons and public exhibitions criticizing Hezbollah, a once untouchable symbol in the Lebanese political landscape.

however, his aggressive and emotional rhetoric against Hezbollah's intervention in Syria has gained him headlines and controversy, along with attracting many supporters and followers disillusioned with the traditionally Sunni Future Movement party and the leadership of Saad Hariri.

In June 2013, clashes broke out in an eastern suburb of Sidon after several people attacked, threw stones and shattered windows in a car belonging to Assir's brother, Amjad al-Assir.

Assir then gave Hezbollah a one-week ultimatum to vacate apartments occupied by the group's supporters in the mostly Sunni city containing heavy weapon in a civilian compound, as clashes broke out with gunmen wielding automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenades.

[31] During 23–24 June 2013, heavy street fighting erupted between the Lebanese Army and gunmen loyal to Assir in Sidon as they were falsely accused of provoking the attack.

[36] On Monday June 24, 2013, Lebanese Army commandos seized a complex controlled by gunmen loyal to Assir in the southern city of Sidon, shortly after he fled the premises to an unknown destination.

The raid on the compound at noon came after an attempt by a group of Salafi preachers to mediate a truce reached a dead end, with the Army determined to continue its operations.