Who is Sheikh Naim Qassem, the new chief of Lebanon's Hezbollah?

Lebanon's militant group Hezbollah said it has chosen Sheikh Naim Qassem as its new top leader. This comes days after the killing of former chief Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli airstrike last month. Hezbollah said in a statement that its decision-making Shura Council elected Qassem as the new secretary-general. Hezbollah vowed to continue with Nasrallah's policies “until victory is achieved”.

Who is Sheikh Naim Qassem?

Qassem is a founding member of the militant group established following Israel's 1982 invasion of Lebanon. The 71-year-old had been serving as acting leader after Nasrallah was killed on September 27. He has given several televised speeches vowing that Hezbollah will fight on despite a string of setbacks. Qassem had been Nasrallah's deputy leader for over three decades. He has long been one of Hezbollah's leading spokesmen, conducting interviews eve with foreign media.

He was born in 1953 in Lebanon's capital Beirut. His political activism began with the Lebanese Shi'ite Amal Movement. However, Qassem left the group in 1979 in the wake of Iran's Islamic Revolution. He has been a senior figure in the Iran-backed movement for more than 30 years. Qassem was appointed deputy chief in 1991 by the armed group's then-secretary general Abbas al-Musawi.

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