Two Killed In Clash Between Hezbollah And Supporters Of Right-Wing Par…
On August 9, two people were killed in Lebanon in an exchange of fire between Hezbollah fighters and the supporters of an opposing right-wing party at the Christian village of Kahale which is located some 12 kilometers to the southeast of Beirut.
The clash broke out after a truck overturned on a road cutting through Kahale, which residents claim was carrying weapons for the powerful Shiite armed group. A member of Hezbollah and a resident of the village were killed in the clash. The sides accused each other of starting the deadly clash.
Kahale mayor Abdo Abi Khalil said after the accident, residents of the town surrounded the truck demanding to know what was inside. Hezbollah fighters escorting the truck opened fire at the residents to keep them at bay, killing one person, the mayor added.
From its side, Hezbollah said in a statement that one of its fighters was wounded during the incident and later died of his injuries.
“A number of armed men… present in the area gathered and attacked” those escorting the truck, read the statement.
“They began by throwing rocks, and then opened fire,” it said, adding that one of its fighters was shot and injured and later died.
Footage from the scene of the incident supports Hezbollah’s story as it shows a gunmen shooting at Hezbollah fighters guarding the truck injuring one of them. The fighters then responded with live fire killing the gunman.
Local lawmakers from the Lebanese Forces, a right-wing Christian party opposed to Hezbollah, accused the group of transporting weapons in the truck and condemned the killing of one of Kahale residents.
In a statement released a day after the incident, the Lebanese military confirmed that ammunition was on board the truck. The army said that after its forces deployed to end the clash, the truck’s load was transferred to a military facility and an investigation was launched.
Hezbollah identified the fighter killed in the clash as Ahmad Ali Kassas. The other casualty was identified as Fadi Bejjani, who was reportedly a member of the right-wing Christian Kataeb Party that also opposes Hezbollah.
Opposition to Hezbollah inside Lebanon grew in recent years on the backdrop of the country’s economic crisis. Political parties which were allied to Israel during the civil war like the Lebanese Forces and Kataeb are now playing a key role in pressuring the Iran-allied group with support from the United States and other regional powers.
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