Lebanon: 72 people, including military personnel, were wounded in riots in Tripoli

More than 72 people, including military personnel, were injured on Saturday in clashes between a large number of rioters and the Lebanese army personnel in the neighborhood of Tabbaneh and other neighborhoods in Tripoli, north of Lebanon.

The National Media Agency reported that young men tried to destroy the main gate of the building of Tripoli Governorate, but that internal security forces prevented them from doing so. The protestors threw stones at the security forces, lit rubber tires, and closed the public road in front of the governorate’s headquarters completely.

Clashes also took place between young men and members of the Lebanese army in the neighborhood of al-Tabbaneh and its surroundings in the city, resulting in the injury of 72 people, including 16 military personnel.

Tension is still prevailing  in Al-Mahalla, where some of its neighborhoods witness violent confrontations, during which a number of youths threw stones and Molotov cocktails  at the army, who fired teargas and rubber bullets to disperse them.

The National Media Agency reported that this morning, the Lebanese army reopened the Minieh-Abda International highway in Akkar in both directions, after protesters closed it last night at more than one point with rocks and  burning  tires.

Since October 17, Lebanon has witnessed demonstrations and protests calling for improving the living conditions, fighting corruption and holding the corrupt accountable, while some groups exploit these demands and carry out riot actions during the demonstrations in a number of regions.

Inas Abdulkareem