Lebanese man calls TV, says he killed to avenge son’s death

BEIRUT – The father of a Lebanese soldier abducted and slain by militants two years ago has phoned a local TV to say he killed a relative of the man he holds responsible for his son’s death.

The soldier, Mohammad Hamieh, and 36 other Lebanese soldiers were abducted by militants and Islamic State fighters from neighbouring Syria in 2014. Hamieh and three other soldiers were later killed while 24 have since been released. The whereabouts of the remaining nine are unknown.

The slain soldier’s father, Maarouf Hamieh, called in to Al-Jadeed TV on Tuesday to say he killed Mohammad Hujairi in an act of revenge, vowing he would continue killing others.

Hujairi is the nephew of an al-Qaida-linked local figure, Mustafa Hujairi, who in 2014 had promised to negotiate the soldiers’ release.

News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?

The Associated Press

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.