Street fighting erupted in connection with a demonstration against the investigation into last year’s Beirut port explosion.
Status is updated.
At least five people were killed and more than 30 injured after a fire broke out near a demonstration in the Lebanese capital, Beirut.
This was confirmed by the Lebanese Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi to Reuters.
According to Reuters, all the dead must be Shiite Muslims. One of the women is said to have been in her home when she was shot.
Several explosions, possibly from RPGs, were also reported.
Street fighting erupted in connection with a planned demonstration against the man leading the investigation into the massive explosion in Beirut port in August last year. A group on their way to the demonstration was reportedly attacked in the Tayouneh neighborhood Lebanese media.
There were reports of shooting in several places in the city. Several ambulances have left.
At 12.14, Reuters reported that the army was sent to Beirut. Large parts of the city center will be closed.
According to Laurent Today, the army has issued a statement saying that the soldiers are ready to shoot the militants in the streets. Civilians were asked to leave the area around Tayouneh.
excited atmosphere
It was not clear what caused the shooting and who was behind it. But the atmosphere is tense along the front lines that stretched between Shiite and Christian areas during the previous civil war.
The Shiite Hezbollah movement called on the people to demand the dismissal of Judge Tariq Bitar from the presidency of the investigation.
On Thursday morning, several hundred supporters of Hezbollah and the Amal Movement, another powerful Shiite group in Lebanon, gathered outside a courtroom in Beirut.
Huge pressure on the rulers
More than a year has passed since the huge explosion that occurred in the port of Beirut in August of last year. It took his life At least 215 people.
Nobody is accountable. When Aftenposten visited Beirut last week, the families of the victims showed that the investigation should continue without political interference.
The investigation has so far been marked by delays and accusations of corruption.
Various political groups put enormous pressure on Judge Tariq Bitar. They accuse him of not leading an objective investigation.
Earlier this week, former Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil called for the investigation to be halted.
This happened after the judge issued an arrest warrant for Khalil and a number of other politicians. The purpose is to question them about what they know about the vast quantities of chemicals stored in the port.
According to Lebanese media, Khalil is a close ally of Hezbollah, and therefore encouraged his supporters to appear outside the courtroom and demonstrate.
Lebanon is going through an economic crisis that may be among the three worst crises in the world since the 1850s.
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