Lebanese singer Fadel Shaker surrenders to army after 13 years on the run
Lebanese singer Fadel Shaker voluntarily surrendered to a Lebanese army intelligence unit on Saturday evening.
He turned himself in at the Ein el-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp, where he had been in hiding for more than 13 years.
According to reports from Lebanese media and a Roya correspondent, the surrender was coordinated by officials at the Lebanese Ministry of Defense through mediators.
Shaker was taken from a checkpoint at the entrance of the Ein el-Hilweh camp and transported to the Ministry of Defense headquarters in Yarzeh.
Fadel Shaker History
Fadel Shaker is a Lebanese singer who rose to fame in the 1990s and 2000s as a romantic pop artist, often dubbed the "King of Romance" for his heartfelt ballads and love songs.
In 2011, Shaker announced his retirement from singing to pursue a more devout Islamic lifestyle, growing a beard and adopting beliefs under the influence of cleric Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir.
He changed his name to Hajj Fadel and publicly supported causes such as in Syria, which marked a dramatic shift from his pop idol image.
Shaker's legal troubles escalated in June 2013 during violent clashes in Abra, near Sidon, between al-Assir's followers and the Lebanese army, resulting in the deaths of 18 soldiers and over 20 fighters.
Shaker was accused of participating in the fighting, providing logistical and financial support to al-Assir's group, and even boasting in a video about killing two soldiers, claims he later denied or retracted.
The Lebanese authorities issued an arrest warrant for him on charges related to terrorism, incitement, and involvement in attacks on state institutions.
In 2015, Shaker publicly disavowed his support for fighters in Syria, expressing regret in interviews and distancing himself from the violence, though he maintained his religious convictions.
Despite this, Lebanon's Military Tribunal sentenced him in absentia in 2020 to 15 years in prison for interfering in terrorist acts, followed by an additional sentence later that year totaling 22 years of hard labor for financing and aiding a terrorist group.
He has appealed these rulings, portraying himself as misunderstood and caught in political crossfire, but the sentences remain in effect.
Since the 2013 clashes, Shaker has been in hiding in the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp in Sidon, Lebanon's largest refugee camp, which is largely outside Lebanese government control due to agreements granting Palestinian factions autonomy.
The camp's complex security dynamics, including rival armed groups, have made it difficult for authorities to apprehend him, despite ongoing warrants.
From hiding, Shaker has continued releasing music, including songs like "Huwa al-Janub" in 2025, often with patriotic or emotional themes, and has used social media and interviews to document his life and defend his actions.
