Lebanon authorities release Salafist cleric Khaled Hablas: What to know
Hablas was imprisoned for his role in the deadly 2014 clashes with the military and Hezbollah and his release follows Syria lobbying for the return of militants detained in Lebanon.
A controversial Sunni Salafist cleric was released from prison in Lebanon on Tuesday in a move that could inflame tensions but is likely to please neighboring Syria.
Sheikh Khaled Hablas was released from the Roumieh Prison northeast of Beirut, local outlets reported, after completing his sentence for militancy-related offenses that began in 2015.
إطلاق سراح الشيخ حبلص من سجن رومية
— Al Jadeed News (@ALJADEEDNEWS) May 12, 2026
أُطلق سراح الشيخ خالد حبلص ابن مدينة المنية، من سجن رومية، بعد أن أمضى محكوميته منذ توقيفه في 11 نيسان 2015.#أخبار_الجديد #خالد_حبلص #لبنان pic.twitter.com/MGhxfamYOf
The Lebanese military deployed to the northern city of Tripoli in anticipation of his arrival, An-Nahar reported.
Who is Hablas? A Sunni religious figure from the town of Minyeh, located outside Tripoli, Hablas served for years at the Harun al-Rashid mosque in the city.
