The town of al-Qurqaf in Akkar buried Sheikh Ahmed Shuaib al-Rifai, who had been missing for days before it was discovered that he had been kidnapped and killed by a number of individuals, including some of his relatives. The funeral took place amid anger and sadness from the residents of al-Qurqaf, with takbirs echoing throughout the area.
The Rifai family issued a statement on Sunday mourning Sheikh Ahmed Shuaib al-Rifai, who was abducted and killed by one of his relatives. They announced that the burial ceremony for Sheikh al-Rifai would be held today, appealing to everyone not to fire weapons. They urged the public to exercise patience and refrain from being drawn into conflict, thanking officials and security forces for their efforts in uncovering the truth and apprehending the perpetrators.
In a statement, the Grand Mufti of the Republic, Sheikh Abdul Latif Daryan, condemned the kidnapping and killing of Sheikh Ahmed Shuaib al-Rifai as a tragic and painful incident and a heinous crime. He stated that it is religiously forbidden and goes against moral and humane values. He affirmed that the dignity of scholars will remain protected, and no one would be allowed to harm them, no matter the disagreement, except under the law, in cooperation with the Dar al-Fatwa, which is concerned about the safety and security of the Lebanese community.
The Mufti called on the state's security and judicial authorities to expedite investigations and reveal the circumstances surrounding Sheikh al-Rifai's murder, demanding punishment for the criminal and just retribution for those who committed this heinous crime. He expressed trust in the state and its institutions to address the effects and repercussions of this crime and urged all citizens to adhere to the laws and regulations in effect. He thanked security forces for swiftly uncovering the perpetrators and preventing strife while putting an end to the rumors accompanying this grave event.
The Islamic Waqf Department in Akkar also mourned Sheikh Ahmed Shuaib al-Rifai, wishing for the residents of al-Qurqaf to exhibit wisdom and patience in this serious tragedy.
Prime Minister Najib Mikati stated: "This case is currently being followed up by us with the relevant judicial and security authorities, and there are some new details being reviewed that will reveal the full circumstances of this case." Sheikh al-Rifai, the imam of the Grand Mosque in al-Qurqaf, planned to run for the municipal presidency of al-Qurqaf this year against his long-time rival, Mayor Sheikh Yahya al-Rifai. In addition to delivering Friday sermons at his town's mosque, he operated a Quran memorization center and had contracted a large olive grove in the town; he briefly owned a generator and worked with water supply in the town. Sheikh al-Rifai, 44, was married to two women and has four children with each wife.
The Directorate General of Internal Security Forces revealed some details about the kidnapping and killing of Sheikh al-Rifai, stating that "on the evening of February 20, 2023, an unknown group kidnapped Sheikh Ahmed al-Rifai in the city of Tripoli and took him with his vehicle to an unknown location." Given the country’s current crises and tensions, this incident had a significant negative impact, causing panic among citizens, especially after social media began disseminating the news in a sectarian and inciting manner, leveling accusations against political factions and security agencies, which exacerbated public tension in the country.
As a result, directives were issued to the Intelligence Division of Internal Security Forces to conduct immediate investigations to clarify the circumstances of the incident and apprehend the perpetrators. Due to field and technical follow-ups, the intelligence division managed within the past 48 hours to locate the victim's vehicle, confiscate one of the cars used in the kidnapping, identify the kidnappers, and arrest four individuals, three of whom are relatives of the victim. Two of the relatives admitted to executing the kidnapping due to longstanding disputes between the parties, along with others, and subsequently killed the abductee and disposed of his body in a northern area. The Directorate General denied any involvement of a member of the task force in this case.
