Following the killing of former Iraqi parliamentarian Ahmed al-Alwani in Beirut, Lebanese authorities have requested that Syria extradite two Syrian nationals suspected of involvement in the case.
Al-Alwani's body was discovered Tuesday evening in an apartment located in the Tariq al-Jdideh neighborhood of Beirut. According to a Lebanese judicial source, preliminary findings suggest he was strangled, though the exact motives and perpetrators are still under investigation. Lebanese prosecutors have also detained and are interrogating one Lebanese national in connection with the incident.
Investigators note that al-Alwani arrived in Beirut from Erbil on November 5 and left his hotel shortly after checking in, accompanied by individuals speaking with a Syrian accent. While initial inquiries indicate a possible financial angle, the investigation remains active and is being personally overseen by Lebanon's top prosecutor, Judge Ahmed Rami al-Hajj.
Al-Alwani was a prominent Sunni politician from Iraq's western Anbar province who gained visibility during anti-government protests between 2012 and 2013. He was a vocal critic of Iranian influence and Iraq's Shia-led leadership at the time. Following a 2013 raid on his home, he spent more than a decade in prison before being released in April 2025 under Iraq's General Amnesty Law.
Iraqi President Nizar Amedi has urged a swift investigation following a meeting with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam in Türkiye, and Iraq is dispatching a team to assist Lebanese authorities as the probe continues.
