On Saturday, Syrian authorities extradited Ahmad Noun – the alleged ringleader behind the kidnapping and murder of Pascal Sleiman, the Lebanese Forces (LF) coordinator for the Jbeil region – to Lebanon. This marks a significant development in the high-profile case that has gripped the country for over a year.
The handover followed sustained diplomatic efforts by LF officials and coordination with Lebanon’s intelligence directorate, which maintained close contact with their Syrian counterparts to secure Noun’s transfer. He is believed to have led the gang responsible for the abduction and subsequent killing of Sleiman.
In a statement released in the afternoon, the army command announced that the suspect had been handed over to the Military Intelligence Directorate, which is continuing its investigation into the case.
The army confirmed that the man is the leader of a gang "specializing in kidnappings, theft, and forgery." According to the statement, "he is the subject of numerous arrest warrants," and "his interrogation has begun under the supervision of the competent judiciary."
With Noun’s extradition and the earlier detention of four other suspects, investigators now have all key individuals in custody, potentially paving the way for a full revelation of the circumstances of Sleiman’s assassination.
Sleiman was abducted on April 7, 2024. His body was discovered a day and a half later across the border in Syria. According to the Lebanese Army, he was killed during an attempted carjacking by a group of Syrian nationals, who then transported his body out of the country.
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