One Killed in Clashes between Shaker al-Berjawi Supporters, Salafists near Beirut's Sports City
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
One person was killed and at least ten were wounded on Sunday in clashes that erupted at dawn between Salafists and supporters of Arab Movement Party leader Shaker al-Berjawi near the Sports City center in Beirut.
Al-Jadeed television identified the victim as Khalil Nabil al-Hanash, whom Agence France Presse said Hanash was a member of the Arab Movement Party.
The Internal Security Forces said that 13 people were wounded in the unrest that witnessed the use of rocket-propelled grenades and machineguns.
The clashes ended as soon as the army intervened and deployed heavily in the area.
Al-Jazeera television said that the clashes broke out after a verbal dispute erupted between the rival forces.
The National News Agency meanwhile said Berjawi's supporters came under attack by hardline Sunni Islamists.
Witnesses said that the opposing gunmen were members of small Lebanese and Palestinian factions hostile to Hizbullah, whose fighters have intervened in Syria alongside the forces of President Bashar Assad, reported AFP.
A spokesman for the Mustaqbal Movement denied to MTV claims of the existence of Salafists in the area, saying that Berjwai was using this as an excuse to spark the fighting.
Berjawi meanwhile accused supporters of the Mustaqbal Movement of being behind the unrest, reported al-Jadeed.
The Army Command later said that the clashes broke out in the western neighborhood behind the Sports City.
The army intervened to contain the fighting and then cordoned off the area in order to restore calm.
It has also been carrying out raids against gunmen hideouts to arrest the perpetrators.
Sunday's battle between members of the small pro-Damascus Sunni group -- the Arab Movement Party -- against gunmen opposed to Assad's regime was not the first to take place between the two sides.
The Arab Movement Party was at the center of the fighting when the first Syria-linked violence erupted in Beirut in May 2012.
Its supporters were forced out of the Tariq al-Jadideh neighborhood in fighting with gunmen sympathetic to the Mustaqbal Movement of former Prime Minister Saad Hariri.
The latest Beirut fighting came after nine days of clashes between pro- and anti-Assad groups rocked the northern city of Tripoli, killing 24 people and wounding 128.
Tripoli has been the scene of chronic sectarian fighting since the war in Syria erupted three years ago, with gunmen from the Sunni district of Bab al-Tabbaneh battling fighters from neighboring Jabal Mohsen, whose residents belong to Assad's Alawite sect.
Berjawi is a veteran militant whose career has spanned multiple decades and causes.
He fought in the Lebanese civil war under the banner of the Palestine Liberation Organization before heading to Iraq to fight alongside now executed dictator Saddam Hussein's forces in his 1980-88 war with neighboring Iran.
At the time the Iraqi and Syrian regimes were bitter rivals, and on his return home, Berjawi was a staunch opponent of the troop presence in Lebanon which Syria maintained from 1976 to 2005, earning him a spell in prison in Damascus.
But he later changed sides and became a staunch ally of the Assad regime.
23 March 2014, 08:27
1812
i called a friend from work who lives in that area and he said exactly the same thing! They had a very rough night... what a shame.
23 March 2014, 10:38
1017
geha, I am kind of hurt that you said that I don't deserve a reply. I don't know, I wasn't being rude, just asked you a question. Anyways your reply is lacking of any proof that HA is seeking a civil war. Trying to connect the dots about Syrian sympathizers in Lebanon and trying to militarily take over the country is exaggerating to say the least. I could say the same about Saudi sympathizers in Tripoli, Arsal, Saida you name it.
23 March 2014, 14:50
715
"A spokesman for the Mustaqbal Movement denied to MTV claims of the existence of Salafists in the area,"
LOL just like they denied there was al qaeda in arsal?
http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/23982
m14 is playing with fire, using islamist groups and then pretending they have nothing to do with it. and if HA's patience gets exceeded they will cry again and play victims.
stop poking the lion, or be ready to face its wrath
23 March 2014, 23:13
30
bring it on habibi, just bring it on. you've been making threats hiding behind your keyboard for a while now, is that all you got?
23 March 2014, 08:34
189
anyone opposed to HA is branded a Salafi....LOL that makes the majority of Lebanese Salafis.
23 March 2014, 08:42
189
59 minutes ago MTV: The wounded in the Tariq al-Jadideh clashes spoke of members of the pro-Hizbullah Resistance Brigades deploying in the neighborhood.
23 March 2014, 08:41
199
berjaoui: a Syrian agent sponsored by hizbushaitan.
what business does he have to go to tarik el jedideh to open an office there?
his only business is creating strife and turn Beirut into a battle zone, same as Tripoli.
hiabushaitan is creating these battle grounds across the country in sunni regions in an attempt to take them over or at least put pressure on them.
this extremist terrorist Iranian militia will be surprised.
23 March 2014, 08:44
1711
geha; resistance is a business and a profitable one indeed. you can open a franchise and earn a lot of money in the process.
23 March 2014, 10:08
1016
please geha with all do respect, can you tone it down with the surprise threats, they are more of a laugh than something to worry about.
23 March 2014, 10:16
167
it is apparent that hizbushaitan is pushing towards civil war through these actions.
this is no threat: let them assume the results of they can.
23 March 2014, 10:22
1116
geha, you guys have been saying HA is pushing for civil war for years now. Has is not become apparent in your heads that is the last thing HA is interested in. Why do you guys insist on promoting such rubbish. Is it because you would like nothing more then something like a civil war to happen. Please be honest with us.
23 March 2014, 10:30
157
although you do not deserve a reply, but not to let your comment unanswered:
- what does it mean to have saraya al moukawama in Tripoli?
- what does it mean to have berjaoui in tarik jedideh with saraya al moukawameh?
- what does it mean to have saraya al moukawameh in keserwan?
they are acting like the Israelis: they are trying to take over the country militarily bit by bit.
do you have any illusion that people are blind to wht this terrorist extremist militia is doing?
23 March 2014, 10:35
167
cityboy, you are the one talking rubbish, Hizbullah is part of the Iranian guard and that is all there is to it. And for years they have been doing as they please and acting like they should control Lebanon by Devine right… try being honest with yourself.
23 March 2014, 11:44
616
No gp, the ones not being honest are the likes of you. I have stated my views about HA several times. I have never denied that they have influence over the country. You see it as a negative, but unfortunately for you, the majority of Lebanese is thankful for the sacrifices HA has made and continues to do so for Lebanon. It will continue to back up the army, resist Israel's aggressions and continue to ensure that we live in a plural society free of authoritarian or dictatorial rule that is seen in the rest of the arab world. When the army and government can handle this task on its own then yes HA should at that point in time merge in to the army. :)
23 March 2014, 08:57
179
so it seems now tareek jdeedeh is also salafist . I wonder why they have not applied sharia law of islam over there yet)) this is part of the major propaganda pushed by the terror party to label all who oppose them as salafist.
23 March 2014, 09:35
00
Observation: 75-90, 15 years of civil war torn Lebanon apart, most of the warlords are current politicians; is it strange to conclude that these gentlemen can only think and act in terms of crisis, and in no way are able to think or act constructively?
23 March 2014, 09:59
1015
of course, and in your mind m14 active support for the terrorist in Syria is promoting the stability of Syria, Right.
23 March 2014, 10:15
1015
warrior, do you not welcome other opinions on this site, do you not believe in the freedom of speech. Did I say anything wrong. please let me know.
23 March 2014, 10:27
167
Just exactly what terrorist are M14 supporting? The Iranian militia & their beloved partners the Assad clan are the biggest murderess and oppressors of Lebanese. So you can cheer them all you like but they are dogs and are destroying Lebanon.
23 March 2014, 10:33
136
if you support the Syrian regime, then please go to Syria and assist them. what are you doing in Lebanon on a Lebanese site?
the Syrian regime along with iran and their agents have been destroying Lebanon for years, and all who support them are definitely not welcome.
23 March 2014, 10:41
815
sure gp, you said that so eloquently, I almost had an inkling to believe you.
23 March 2014, 11:46
515
warrior, show you my back, please don't ask for more than that though, I am not that kind of guy.
23 March 2014, 13:18
00
Real nice debate guys, specially warrior who I'm sure is titan and jerry's friend no? Bhannikon. allaysbrak cityboy if you think a decent conversation can be had on this site and these people.
23 March 2014, 23:16
31
geha if you support takfiris and syrian rebels please go to syria and support them. and if you're too afraid, go to saudi where you'll find your other lover hiding too.
23 March 2014, 10:41
173
Arab Movement: another imperialist organization to deny Lebanon's specificity and to bow the country under foreign interests.
23 March 2014, 10:49
00
M14 supporters, you dont have anything else to do except talking about Hizbulla. I hope your getting paid for that because barking dogs never bites.
23 March 2014, 11:02
00
Please administration, publish my comments. You in Al Nahar always say you defend freedom of speech. Other wise your the voice of M14 like other newspapers voice of M8!
23 March 2014, 11:23
53
It is like the creation of the government pissed off some evil force who is doing its best to destabilize the country.
23 March 2014, 13:12
00
Pft, salafis getting enraged over nothing and killing people isn't anything new. And your assessment is as credible as saying the laf isn't doing anything.
23 March 2014, 14:53
02
eza akramta elkarima malaktahou wa iza akramta'laeema tamarada.
23 March 2014, 17:05
19
SO basically a bunch of foreigners were bringing their own crap in Lebanon, please go back to your respective countries and keep that pointless cycle going.
23 March 2014, 18:18
91
I would like to return to Lebanon and put a poster of Nasrallah so that I can earn a salary from Iran, do not pay electricity, water, tax under the slogan resistance of Israel. We do not need rice from KSA/Kuwait but rather arms which in turn generate revenue thru kidnapping-car robbery-power over the state authority.
23 March 2014, 18:56
91
given the latest developments it seems likely that syria and hezbis are planning to enter akkar under the pretext that is is full of islamists...and seize tripoli
23 March 2014, 21:52
31
please send berjawi to tariq jdide or traplous without his hizbothugs, then we will see...
23 March 2014, 23:08
31
traitors are loved nowhere haboub, u should know that better than us...
23 March 2014, 23:22
01
Im a lebanese sunni from el chouf ( barja) and a proud supporter of hezbollah . There are lots of sunni who support them but dont appear on tv frequently.
It s not a sunni vs shia conflict as the western and your medias want to show it, it s a war of islam against takfiri serving israel and fighting the men who defeated isreal.
As lebanese sunni, we are ready to join hizbollah troops in syria to resist against the western plot to weaken hezbollah.
Shame on tarik jdidi and tye takfiris, you have demonized our pure religion.
23 March 2014, 23:14
30
do you have a copy of the recruitment forms and CVs? oh, no? again, talking out of your rear.
23 March 2014, 23:46
01
Im a lebanese sunni from el chouf ( barja) and a proud supporter of hezbollah . There are lots of sunni who support them but dont appear on tv frequently.
It s not a sunni vs shia conflict as the western and your medias want to show it, it s a war of islam against takfiri serving israel and fighting the men who defeated isreal.
As lebanese sunni, we are ready to join hizbollah troops in syria to resist against the western plot to weaken hezbollah.
Shame on tarik jdidi and tye takfiris, you have demonized our pure religion.
