Abra Detainees in Jezzine Suspend Hunger Strike

The so-called Abra detainees have suspended their hunger strike after receiving promises that their trials would start this month, the state-run National News Agency reported Wednesday.

The suspects, who were held following the clashes that took place with the Lebanese army near the southern city of Sidon last year, went on hunger strike in Jezzine prison on Monday to protest the delay in holding their trials.

But NNA said that the prisoners suspended the strike after the authorities promised them that their trials would kick off by the end of June.

The detainees are supporters of Salafist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir, who went into hiding following the gunbattles with the Lebanese army in June 2013.

The 45-year-old cleric who supports the overwhelmingly Sunni rebels fighting to topple Syrian President Bashar Assad, is nowhere to be found along with pop idol Fadel Shaker.

Asir's supporters opened fire on an army checkpoint near the cleric's headquarters in the Sidon suburb of Abra in June 2013. The attack and the fierce clashes that ensued left around 18 soldiers and more than 20 gunmen dead.

The gunbattles concentrated in the area of the Bilal Bin Rabah Mosque and nearby buildings in Abra.

G.K.

H.K.