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2021-10-14 Syria-Lebanon-Iran
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Six dead, dozens injured as Beirut protest erupts into heavy gunfights
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[NY Post] At least six people have been killed and more than 30 injured in Beirut on Thursday after protests erupted into bloodshed with armed clashes and heavy gunfights plaguing the streets of Lebanon’s capital.
The violence broke out during a protest by the militant group Hezbollah and its Shiite allies on Thursday morning as they demanded the lead judge investigating last year’s massive blast in the city’s port be removed over claims of bias.
The violence continued to escalate into the afternoon, with Lebanon’s Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi saying snipers in buildings were shooting people in the head and grenade launchers were being fired into the air.
"This is a very dangerous sign," Mawlawi told reporters. "No one can take this."
Six people have already been confirmed dead, according to Lebanon’s Red Cross. One of those killed was a woman who was struck by a bullet in her home, a military source told
In scenes reminiscent of Lebanon’s civil war, local media broadcast footage of bullets bouncing off buildings and people running for cover as gunfire echoed in the streets and ambulances rushed to pick up the growing number of casualties.
Smoke also covered the neighborhood where relentless gunfire and explosions continued for hours.
Students in nearby schools huddled in corridors or lay face down on the floor with the windows open to avoid major impact.
The army heavily deployed in the area and threatened to open fire against any armed person on the road.
It wasn’t immediately how the clashes first unfolded, but Hezbollah protesters say they were fired upon by snipers deployed over rooftops as they marched toward the city’s Palace of Justice through an area that divides the Christian and Shi’ite Muslim neighborhoods.
The Christian Lebanese Forces party has denied any involvement, saying it strongly condemned the violence.
Footage on social media showed Lebanese Forces supporters marching through the streets with large crosses after Hezbollah called for the protests.
Political tensions have been building over the probe into the huge port explosion in August 2020 caused by a vast quantity of ammonium nitrate that killed more than 200 people and devastated larges sections of the city.
Hezbollah and its allies have been calling for Judge Tarek Bitar, who is leading the investigation, to be removed.
As part of the probe, the judge has tried to question senior politicians and security officials — including Hezbollah allies — who are suspected of negligence that may have allowed the explosion.
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Posted by Frank G 2021-10-14 13:00||
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File under: Hezbollah
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Posted by jpal 2021-10-14 18:58||
2021-10-14 18:58||
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Posted by trailing wife 2021-10-14 20:52||
2021-10-14 20:52||
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