Security tensions erupted in Majdal village after the arrest of a man accused of killing Shehada Assaker in 2022, as family members report pressure to drop charges.
A killing from September 2022 in Majdal, Mount Lebanon, has reignited into armed confrontation. Shehada Assaker died after being shot nine times, including once in the chest, during a dispute that began over apple harvesting and escalated near a merchant's home. The shooting triggered clashes between relatives of both sides and required intervention by the army and security forces.
In February 2026, security forces arrested the man accused of killing Assaker following a pursuit in Ajloun that involved gunfire. Since the arrest, the village has seen weapon seizures, death threats, armed men patrolling and road blockades.
According to reports, tensions intensified after pressure began on Assaker's family to drop their legal claim and reach a settlement that would free the accused. Attempts followed to expel Ilyas Assaker, the victim's cousin, from the town. Family members say they are being pressured to accept a reconciliation despite their insistence on continuing the case to its legal conclusion.
Questions are mounting over why security forces have not moved decisively to restore order and over which parties are attempting to force a settlement by force in a homicide case that has not yet reached a final judicial ruling.
