Nasrallah re-elected as head of Hezbollah

Hassan Nasrallah was re-elected head of Hezbollah on Thursday following a congress that also adopted a new manifesto, which is to be revealed in coming days, the militant Shiite party announced.

Nasrallah, 49, has headed Hezbollah since 1992 when his predecessor, Abbas Moussaoui, was killed in an Israeli helicopter raid.

A statement by the party, created in 1982, said Nasrallah would explain the contents of the manifesto at a press conference to be announced soon.

The Hezbollah leader has lived in hiding since the 2006 war between his group and Israel and rarely appears in public. His last press conference was held via video link.

Hezbollah's first manifesto in 1985 called for the establishment of Islamic rule in Lebanon, but the party leadership has toned down its rhetoric in recent years as it gained political clout.

The Thursday statement said the new political document adopted at the party congress endorsed modifications in line with changes that have taken place within the party in recent years.

The group, considered a terrorist organisation by Washington, has two ministers in the new government formed earlier this month.

It is the only party that has refused to surrender its weapons following Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war on grounds that its arsenal is needed to defend the country against Israeli aggression.