Lebanon Seeks Syrian Extradition in Killing of Ex-Iraqi MP Critical of Iran

Lebanese authorities have formally requested Syria to extradite two Syrian nationals suspected of involvement in the murder of former Iraqi Member of Parliament Ahmed al-Alwani. Al-Alwani was discovered deceased in a Beirut apartment earlier this week. According to a Lebanese judicial source speaking to AFP, initial findings suggest al-Alwani was strangled. However, the identities of the perpetrators and their motives remain unclear.

Al-Alwani, who hailed from Ramadi in Iraq’s Sunni-majority region, was known for his strong criticism of Iran's influence in Iraq and its backing of Shia armed groups. He had previously served over a decade in prison following a death sentence on "terrorism" charges in Iraq.

The Lebanese Public Prosecutor’s office has asked Damascus to arrest and hand over the two Syrian suspects. The judicial source indicated that while the suspects' identities are still being determined, a Lebanese national has been apprehended and is currently undergoing interrogation. In a separate development, the Information Branch of the Internal Security Forces is investigating five Hezbollah members arrested in the northern Lebanon highlands of Batroun, as confirmed by the public prosecutor’s media office.

Lebanon’s top prosecutor, Judge Ahmed Rami al-Hajj, is personally overseeing the investigation into al-Alwani’s killing, which is being conducted by the Information Branch of the Internal Security Forces, according to the National News Agency. Investigators are exploring potential motives, with initial inquiries suggesting a financial element may be involved, sources told AFP.

Al-Alwani's body was found on Tuesday evening in an apartment in Beirut's Tariq al-Jdideh neighborhood. He had arrived in Beirut from Erbil airport on November 5 via a Middle East Airlines flight and was taken to a hotel. Lieutenant General Saad Maan, head of the Iraqi Security Media Cell, who is monitoring the investigation in Lebanon, stated that al-Alwani left the hotel less than an hour after checking in, telling staff he was meeting friends. Hotel staff informed investigators that the individuals accompanying al-Alwani spoke with a Syrian accent. Al-Alwani reportedly departed in a white Range Rover vehicle, after which he made two calls to relatives in Iraq before all contact was lost.

Iraq's President Nizar Amedi has called for a swift investigation into the circumstances of the killing and the identification of those responsible, following a meeting with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam in Turkiye on Wednesday. Al-Alwani, a Sunni politician, previously represented the Anbar province in the Iraqi parliament. He gained prominence during protests in 2012 and 2013 against the Shia-led government of then-Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who faced accusations of sectarian policies that marginalized Sunnis. He was a vocal critic of Iran's influence and its allied Shia groups in Iraq. Al-Alwani was arrested in December 2013 during a raid on his home in Ramadi, during which his brother and others were killed. He received a death sentence in 2014 on "terrorism" charges but was released in April 2025 under Iraq’s General Amnesty Law after more than a decade in prison. Iraq’s Ambassador to Lebanon, Mohammed Reda al-Husseini, stated that the Iraqi embassy is closely following the case and awaiting the final report from Lebanese security agencies to clarify the crime's circumstances.