Mourners express loyalty to Hezbollah at commander's funeral

BEIRUT:

Hezbollah supporters in Lebanon turned out in force Sunday for the funeral of a top commander killed in an Israeli air strike, in a major show of support for the Iran-backed group.

Hezbollah has hailed commander Ibrahim Aqil as "one of its great leaders", saying the 61-year-old died in an "Israeli assassination... in Beirut's southern suburbs" on Friday.

Aqil headed Hezbollah's elite Radwan unit, and had been on a US sanctions list for nearly a decade.

Israel said Friday's "targeted strike" killed Aqil and several other commanders in the Radwan Force.

Men and women, many wearing black, gathered for the packed ceremony in the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital where Hezbollah enjoys steadfast support.

Some mourners carried photos of Hezbollah members who have been killed.

Fighters in fatigues and red berets lined up while others carried Aqil's coffin and that of another Hezbollah member, both covered in the group's yellow flag, as a brass band played.

Security was tight, with the immediate area surrounded by metal fencing.

Amira Makki, 60, told AFP she was attending the funeral "to say that we are all with" Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

"We sacrifice our children and grandchildren for him," she said, carrying a photo of her brother and brother-in-law who were killed by Israeli fire in recent months.

Nearby, a woman who identified herself only as Fatima said that attending Aqil's funeral was a "duty".

"Every martyr protects us... and if not for our men's sacrifices, we wouldn't be here," the 26-year-old said.

"We are in... a fateful battle," she told AFP.

One poster near the procession read: "We will not abandon Palestine", a reference to Hezbollah's position that only a ceasefire in the Gaza war will put an end to its attacks on Israel.

Addressing the funeral, Hezbollah deputy chief Naim Qassem said the group was "ready to face all military possibilities" in its battle with Israel.