[ADN Kronos] Lebanon's Grand Mufti on Monday condemned the violence that occurred between rival factions in Beirut at the weekend. Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Qabbani said the violence, in which a woman was killed, was an act of aggression against the state and called for the arrest of those responsible. "Rioting on the streets of Beirut is an act of aggression against security in the country and against the state," said Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Qabbani in a statement quoted by Lebanon's English-language media site Naharnet.He also called for "the arrest and punishment of the aggressors" and urged Lebanon's security forces to "address any breach of security and to intensify efforts to protect the safety of citizens."
According to Qabbani, the unrest was aimed at thwarting the formation of a new government to be headed by prime minister-designate Saad Hariri. The unrest took place on Sunday, a day after Hariri was appointed prime minister of Lebanon by the country's president Michel Suleiman. Supporters of the western-backed Sunni prime minister clashed with followers of the Shia Amal group aligned with Lebanon's re-elected parliamentary speaker Nabih Berri. Thirty-year-old Zeina Miri was killed by a stray bullet and six other people were injured. Gunfire was also reported in several districts of Beirut.
The Lebanese army has warned it would fire on any armed person in the streets and many people have reportedly been arrested in overnight raids.