Large crowds have gathered for the funeral of Hezbollah’s former leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli air strike in Beirut in September.
Mourners dressed in black flocked to a stadium on the outskirts of the Lebanese capital on Sunday. They also paid their respects to Hashem Safieddine, Nasrallah’s successor, who was killed in a separate Israeli strike before he could assume his post.
Nasrallah, the former leader of the Lebanese militant Shia Islamist group, was one of the most influential figures in the Middle East.
Hours before the funeral began at 13:00 local time (11:00 GMT), Israel launched air strikes in southern Lebanon targeting Hezbollah rocket launchers.
People braved the cold to attend the funeral, which was held at the 50,000-capacity Camille Chamoun Sports City stadium.
Nasrallah’s coffin was draped in Hezbollah’s flag and paraded along with Safieddine’s casket through huge crowds of black-clad mourners.
Excerpts of Nasrallah’s speeches were played to the gathered supporters, who chanted, waved flags and held portraits of the leaders.
One mourner, 55-year-old Umm Mahdi, told the AFP news agency that the funeral was the “least we can do” for the late Hezbollah leader “who gave up everything” for his cause.
Prior to his death, Nasrallah had not been seen in public for years because of fears of being assassinated by Israel.
The late leader had close personal links to Iran and played a key role in turning Hezbollah into the political and military force it is today. He was revered by the group’s supporters.
Credit: bbc.com
