The killing of a leader in the Lebanese Forces Party sparked tension in the country, the south of which is subjected to almost daily Israeli bombing.

Agence France-Presse reported that Pascal Suleiman, coordinator of the Lebanese Forces Party in the Jbeil region, northeast of Beirut, was killed after being kidnapped by gunmen.

The Lebanese Forces Party is opposed to Hezbollah, which has been exchanging bombardments with Israel on the southern Lebanese border since the outbreak of the Palestinian Hamas movement’s war with the Hebrew state in Gaza more than six months ago.

Suleiman's kidnapping sparked anger in the Jbeil region from which he hails, and hundreds of Lebanese Forces Party supporters blocked roads in protest.

The Lebanese Army said on Monday evening on the social networking platform He kissed them while they were trying to steal his car in the Jbeil area, and that they transported his body to Syria.

The Army Command explained that it was coordinating with the Syrian authorities to hand over Suleiman’s body.

For its part, the Lebanese Forces Party considered that “the information leaked so far about the motives of the crime does not appear to be consistent with the truth of the matter.”

The party said that the killing of Pascal Suleiman “was carried out intentionally, intentionally, and with a prior conception and design, and we consider it, until further notice, a political assassination until proven otherwise.”

The party asked its supporters to “leave the squares and open the roads.”

Earlier today, Monday, Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah denied in a televised speech his party’s involvement in the kidnapping, considering that those who accuse the organization are only stirring up sectarian strife.

Careter Prime Minister Najib Mikati denounced the crime in a statement issued by his office, stressing "the continuation of investigations to uncover the full circumstances behind the kidnapping and those involved in it and the assassination of the kidnapped person and bring them to justice."

Mikati added, “In these difficult circumstances, we call on everyone to exercise self-control, be wise, and not be drawn into rumors and emotions.”