The Internal Security Forces’ General Directorate arrested on Saturday (August 15) fugitive hardline cleric Ahmad Assir, who was wanted for being involved in deadly clashes that resulted in the deaths of 19 army troops.

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Security officials said Assir was arrested at the Beirut International Airport as he was attempting to flee the country in disguise, using a forged passport. The officials said that he appeared to have undergone several surgical operations to his face.

The General Security added that Assir attempted to flee towards Nigeria via Cairo.

Assir is a radical anti-Hezbollah preacher who led clashes against the Lebanese Army in June 2013 from the Bilal al-Rabbah mosque in the neighborhood of Abra, Sidon, south of Lebanon.

The clashes resulted in the deaths of 19 Army soldiers and at least 40 of combatants fighting for Assir.

Supporters of Assir have gone into hiding in the aftermath of the 2013 battles.

Security forces have beefed up efforts to track down the fugitives, especially after several Assir supporters were linked to a number of suicide bombings in Lebanon.