03:04Lebanese Minister of Interior Bassam Mawlawi said that the clashes in the al-Tayouneh area started when snipers targeted the heads of the protesters, during a press conference following the extraordinary meeting of the Central Internal Security Council, in Beirut on Thursday.
“We did not have a security warning in this direction, on the contrary, those who were organising the demonstration assured us, and we were in contact with them two days ago, and this morning, that the demonstration is peaceful and must be peaceful,” the minister said.
He added “the problem started when the first shooting happened and you know by now that the shooting was sniping, because the casualties were hit in the head.”
Mawlawi stressed that “this situation is not in anyone’s interest, if the security situation loosens, it will be very difficult to control it afterwards. For 3 years now, we have not seen shooting live bullets in the heads. This is a very dangerous sign, and no one can bear the consequences."
At least five people have died in the gunfire that followed a protest calling for the removal of a judge involved in the 2020 Beirut explosion probe, according to the Interior Ministry.
The protest was organised by Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, who accuse Judge Tarek Bitar of being biased in his investigation into the 2020 port blasts, which killed more than 200 people.
Lebanon: Beirut clashes started after snipers opened fire at protesters - Interior Minister
Lebanese Minister of Interior Bassam Mawlawi said that the clashes in the al-Tayouneh area started when snipers targeted the heads of the protesters, during a press conference following the extraordinary meeting of the Central Internal Security Council, in Beirut on Thursday.
“We did not have a security warning in this direction, on the contrary, those who were organising the demonstration assured us, and we were in contact with them two days ago, and this morning, that the demonstration is peaceful and must be peaceful,” the minister said.
He added “the problem started when the first shooting happened and you know by now that the shooting was sniping, because the casualties were hit in the head.”
Mawlawi stressed that “this situation is not in anyone’s interest, if the security situation loosens, it will be very difficult to control it afterwards. For 3 years now, we have not seen shooting live bullets in the heads. This is a very dangerous sign, and no one can bear the consequences."
At least five people have died in the gunfire that followed a protest calling for the removal of a judge involved in the 2020 Beirut explosion probe, according to the Interior Ministry.
The protest was organised by Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, who accuse Judge Tarek Bitar of being biased in his investigation into the 2020 port blasts, which killed more than 200 people.
Lebanese Minister of Interior Bassam Mawlawi said that the clashes in the al-Tayouneh area started when snipers targeted the heads of the protesters, during a press conference following the extraordinary meeting of the Central Internal Security Council, in Beirut on Thursday.
“We did not have a security warning in this direction, on the contrary, those who were organising the demonstration assured us, and we were in contact with them two days ago, and this morning, that the demonstration is peaceful and must be peaceful,” the minister said.
He added “the problem started when the first shooting happened and you know by now that the shooting was sniping, because the casualties were hit in the head.”
Mawlawi stressed that “this situation is not in anyone’s interest, if the security situation loosens, it will be very difficult to control it afterwards. For 3 years now, we have not seen shooting live bullets in the heads. This is a very dangerous sign, and no one can bear the consequences."
At least five people have died in the gunfire that followed a protest calling for the removal of a judge involved in the 2020 Beirut explosion probe, according to the Interior Ministry.
The protest was organised by Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, who accuse Judge Tarek Bitar of being biased in his investigation into the 2020 port blasts, which killed more than 200 people.