Clashes in Beirut, "snipers fire on demonstrators": six dead and over 30 injured

At least six dead and about 30 injured in the violent clashes that broke out this morning in Beirut between militiamen of the Shiite Amal and Hezbollah armed parties and unspecified "snipers". This was reported by the Lebanese Red Cross quoted by the Beirut media.

According to reports from Hezbollah and Amal, the "snipers" first opened fire on demonstrators of the same Shiite movements who were protesting against the management of the investigation into the explosion at the port of Beirut in August 2020.

In a joint statement, the two Lebanese armed parties, close to Iran and the Syrian government, denounce "aggression" by "organized armed groups". A clash that would have "the purpose of purposely pushing the country towards sedition on a religious basis".

The "snipers", they write in the note, "aimed at the head" of the demonstrators and "were stationed on the buildings in front of" the Tayyoune roundabout, that is, on the buildings in the Ayn Remmane neighborhood, a well-known stronghold of the Maronite Christian parties, rivals of the two movements. Shiites, perched instead in the opposite district of Shiyah.

The army has now restored calm. According to the Beirut media, the military deployed in the clash area, between the districts of Ayn Remmane and Shiyah, divided by the Tayyune roundabout.

THE INQUIRY ON THE EXPLOSION AT THE PORT - The situation is still very tense due to the investigation into the explosion in which 219 people died last summer. The judge has so far entered nine outstanding members of the Lebanese institutional and security establishment in the register of suspects. Among them are also deputies and former ministers of the Amal movement, an ally of Hezbollah. The militants of the two Shiite parties had gathered with the declared aim of "demonstrating peacefully" against what they call a "politicization" of the investigation.

(Unioneonline / D)

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