Hizbullah, Amal Slam 'Lebanese Forces Snipers', LF Accuses Them of 'Invasion'

Hizbullah and Amal on Thursday openly accused the Lebanese Forces of launching an “armed attack” on their supporters in the Tayyouneh area, which had during the day witnessed hours-long armed clashes reminiscent of the beginning of the 1975-1990 civil war.

In a joint statement, the two parties said “groups from the Lebanese Forces party deployed in the adjacent neighborhoods and on rooftops from where they practiced direct sniping operations aimed at intentional killing, leaving this number of martyrs and wounded.”

At least six people were killed and 32 others injured in the violence.

Condemning what they called “a criminal and premeditated act targeted at stability and civil peace,” Hizbullah and Amal called on the army and security forces to “shoulder their responsibilities in returning things to normal and arresting those behind the killing operations who are known by their names, as well as the instigators who oversaw this deliberate operation from black rooms.”

“They must be put on trial and must receive the harshest penalties,” the two groups said.

They also pledged to the families of their slain supporters that they would “follow up on their cause until justice is fulfilled.”

The LF meanwhile denied the accusations, calling on authorities to “specify the responsibilities in a clear and frank manner.”

“We strongly condemn the regrettable incidents that happened today on the ground, which are a practical result of the polarization that (Hizbullah chief) Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah started four months ago by inciting, in all his speeches, against the investigative judge,” the LF added.

“All media outlets and the videos circulated on social media confirm the armed appearances with RPGs and machineguns and the entry into civilian neighborhoods,” the party went on to say, in an accusation against the supporters of Hizbullah and Amal.

It added that the allegations against the LF are aimed at “deviating attention from Hizbullah’s invasion of this area and, in previous instances, of other areas.”

“What happened today is known to everyone, which is confronting justice through the same coup-like approach, and the use of arms, intimidation, violence and force to derail justice in the case of the Beirut port explosion,” the LF added.

In another statement, it called on the army to issue a detailed statement to “clarify the circumstances of what happened, from the very first moment, so that some, especially Hizbullah, do not continue to exploit these tragic incidents to launch accusations in every direction in order to exit the dilemma they have put themselves in.”