Cautious calm prevails in Lebanon’s Tripoli and Sidon..81 Lebanese soldiers wounded in riot acts

BEIRUT, (ST)- Cautious calm has prevailed in the Lebanese cities of Tripoli and Sidon after riot acts carried out last night by some protestors caused huge damage to several banks in Sidon and left more than 80 Lebanese soldiers injured.

The Lebanese National News Agency reported that most of the banks’ glass facades were broken including those of Bank Audi and Bankmed as well as the banks near Nejmeh Square in Sidon.

Meantime in the city of Nabatieh, unidentified persons threw a Molotov cocktail at the entrance of a bank in Mahmoud Fakih Street, causing fire at the entrance of the bank. Civil defense personnel and patrols from various security services came to the scene.

 In Ba’albak, also unidentified persons fired a rocket against Ras al-Ain road near the governorate’s headquarters, crashing the glass of one of the rooms of the Post office building in al-Mahalla area.

 The al-Masnaa-Rashayya highway was closed and 20 people were detained, according to the Traffic control room.

Last night, the Lebanese capital, Beirut and several Lebanese areas witnessed sit-ins and protests condemning deteriorating living conditions. The protests turned violent after clashes erupted between protestors and security forces.

In a statement, the Lebanese Army Command announced that 81 soldiers were injured while doing their duty in maintaining the security and stability of the Lebanese areas.

The statement said that 50 soldiers, including 6 officers, were wounded in Tripoli, while the army units detained 19 persons for firing molotov cocktails, throwing stones at the army personnel and committing riot and vandalism acts.

Hamda Mustafa