Local Editor Once again, Ahmad al-Asir's show agitates tension in the capital of the South, Sidon. In a well prepared scenario, al-Assir's militia spread Tuesday's afternoon in Sidon, terrorized civilians, and shelled various regions.  Thus, al-Assir's move led to nothing but to the death of one innocent citizen and the injury of several others.Meanwhile, the Lebanese Army deployed east of Sidon to restore calm, forcing gunmen to pull out of the streets. Some 400 soldiers, backed by 20 armored personnel carriers, fanned out in Abra, an eastern suburb of the southern city of Sidon, which was the scene of heavy attacks of al-Assir's supporters. The clashes created panic among the residents and brought life in Sidon to a standstill as many shops closed. In an earlier statement, the Army said the fighting was triggered by a road incident and the closure of two highways. "At 3 pm and after a road incident in Abra, gunmen deployed in Abra and began firing [with the aim] of intimidation, which left citizens wounded. This coincided with other individuals blocking the coastal highway as well as the eastern highway," the statement said. "Army units deployed in the area intervened [as a result] and were reinforced and are working on removing the armed presence, reopening roads and restoring calm," it added. In its statement, the Army vowed it would not allow the security situation to get out of hand. "The Army command warns all gunmen to immediately withdraw from the streets and it will not allow the spread of chaos and will open fire on any armed [person] and respond to sources of fire," it said. In parallel, figures in March 8 coalition confirmed that "it is not allowed to touch the homes, centers and personalities associated with the resistance and its allies in Sidon." In remarks to as-Safir Lebanese daily, the sources highlighted that "any attempts of this kind will be firmly dealt with, as happened yesterday." They further insisted on avoiding sedition projects, calling the Lebanese state to bear its responsibility in maintaining security. For its part, al-Akhbar Lebanese daily reported al-Assir asked the Palestinian groups to launch rockets from Ain al-Hilweh towards Haret Sidon. However, the Palestinian leadership in the refugee camp contacted him demanding to neutralize Ain el-Hilweh. Source: News Agencies, Translated and Edited by website team |
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Calm Prevails in Sidon after Al-Assir’s One-Man Show
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