PTC News Desk: Iran backed militant group Hezbollah has announced its deputy secretary, Sheikh Naim Qassem to be next chief of the anti-Israel armed group. The announcement comes after killing of its chief Hassan Nasrallah. He was killed in an Israeli strike on September 27 following which Qassem has made multiple televised addresses.
Following Nasrallah’s death, his cousin Hashem Safieddine was considered the most likely successor, however his fate was also sealed in an Israeli strike.
Qassem has been part of the group for more than 30 years. On October 8, he said the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel was a war about who cries first, and Hezbollah would not cry first.
He was elected as Hezbollah’s deputy chief in 1991 by the group’s then general secretary Abbas al-Musawi who was killed in an Israeli helicopter attack following year. Qassem was intact in his role when Nasrallah assumed the charge. He was the first leader to make televised remarks following Narallah’s death. He was also considered as one of the most significant spokesperson of Hezbollah marking his persistent presence in foreign media as well as cross border hostilities.
Hailing from Beirut, Qassem was one of the founding members of Hezbollah which was formed in 1985 following Israel’s invasion into Lebanon. Meanwhile, he also assumed charge of general coordinator of Hezbollah’s parliamentary elections campaign since the group first contested them in 1992.
Qassem is often known as man donned in white turban. His predecessors, Nasrallah and Safieddine, would wear black turbans denoted their status as descendants of the Prophet Muhammad.
– With inputs from agencies
