West Asia crisis: Hezbollah's slain leader Hassan Nasrallah temporarily buried in secret location, says report

Iran-aligned Lebanese militant group Hezbollah's slain leader Hassan Nasrallah was temporarily buried, a source close to the group told the news agency AFP on Friday (Oct 4). Nasrallah has been temporarily buried in a secret location.

"Hassan Nasrallah has been temporarily buried, until the circumstances allow for a public funeral," the source close to Hezbollah told AFP.

Nasrallah, 64, was killed in an Israeli strike in Beirut last week. His death dealt a heavy blow to the Lebanese militant groupfrom an escalating campaign of Israeli attacks.

Shiite Muslim rites provide for such a temporary burial when circumstances prevent a proper funeral or the deceased cannot be buried where they wished.

Earlier speculations

Earlier, Israeli media reports speculated that Nasrallah's funeral was set to take place in Iran.

Nearly a year after Palestinian militant group Hamas launched the deadliest attack on Israel in its history on October 7 last year, Israel announced it was shifting its focus to securing its border with Lebanon.

Hezbollah started launching low-intensity strikes on Israel last October, in support of its allies in Gaza, forcing 60,000 Israelis to flee their homes in the north of the country.

Israel's bombing in Lebanon has killed more than 1,000 people since the start of the escalation on September 23.

Who will be Nasrallah's successor?

Nasrallahstill does not have a successor a week after he was killed.

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His cousin Hashem Safieddine, a prominent Hezbollah figure touted as a possible successor, was the target of a recent Israeli air strike on south Beirut, US and Israeli media reported.

(With inputs from agencies)

(With inputs from agencies)