Arab League labels Lebanon's Hezbollah as terrorist group

The Arab League on Friday declared the Lebanese Shia Hezbollah paramilitary group as a terrorist organisation, Egypt's state-run Ahram online reported.

The decision was backed by all member states except for Lebanon and Iraq which expressed reservations, according to Ahram online.

The decision came a week after Gulf states labeled the group as a terrorist entity.

A number of Arab states, particularly Gulf countries, have taken measures against Hezbollah which supports Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria.

The group is also accused of aiding Shia minorities to revolt against regimes in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.

Foreign ministers of the pan-Arab organisation, who have been meeting in Cairo for two days, have unanimously agreed to appoint former Egyptian foreign minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit as the new chief to replace outgoing secretary-general Nabil Al-Araby, 80, who declined a second five-year term.

Founded in Cairo in 1945, the Arab League is a regional organisation of Arab states with the main goal of drawing closer inter-Arab relations and coordinating Arab positions on regional and international issues.