Asir's Bodyguard Killed, Hizbullah Official Wounded in Sidon Gunfight
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Three people were killed and at least four others were wounded on Sunday in an armed clash between supporters of Hizbullah and Salafist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir in the Taamir Ain al-Hilweh neighborhood in the southern city of Sidon, state-run National News Agency reported.
Among the dead was one of Asir's bodyguards whom NNA identified by his nickname Lobnan al-Ezz.
The clash also killed Lebanese national Ali Samhoun and Egyptian citizen Ali al-Sharaband, according to NNA.
Hizbullah's official in Sidon Sheikh Zeid al-Daher and his bodyguard who belongs to al-Dirani family were also wounded in the gunfight, NNA said.
"Two people were killed and seven injured in clashes between supporters of Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir and Hizbullah near a Palestinian refugee camp in Sidon. One of the injured was a representative for Hizbullah for the area," a security official told Agence France Presse on condition of anonymity.
Later on Sunday, al-Jadeed television reported that the Taamir Ain al-Hilweh neighborhood was witnessing a cautious calm amid a heavy deployment by army troops.
In the wake of the clash, Prime Minister Najib Miqati asked Interior Minister Marwan Charbel convene an emergency meeting for the South's security council.
Afterwards, Miqati said he had requested the army and security agencies take prompt measures to bring the situation under control and arrest those behind the violence.
"We call on everyone to remain calm and execute restraint at this critical and delicate juncture," said the premier.
On Friday, Asir gave a 48-hour deadline to remove all the pictures and banners in Sidon that “contain slogans supportive of Hizbullah and its allies who back the Syrian-Iranian scheme,” AFP quoted the Salafist cleric as saying.
“Hizbullah on Sunday removed the pictures and banners from the city, escorted by the Lebanese army, but Asir supporters entered the Taamir Ain al-Hilweh neighborhood near the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp in Sidon, tearing up a poster of Hizbullah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and sparking a fight with sticks that soon erupted into gunfire,” AFP reported.
11 November 2012, 17:21
00
Why is this guys thugs driving around unlicenced? He should be booked for driving unlicenced and having tinted windows unlicenced also. THis guy rocks up at a security checkpoint with 6 of his cars all with no number plates. very good law abiding citizen who wants to rule lebanon via his Salafists thumb. Go to hell pal.
11 November 2012, 17:23
00
As long as every Lebanese has a cell phone and pretends to speak three languages at the same sentence, who gives a damn about peace, tranquility, and standing in line like human beings.
11 November 2012, 17:25
311
can't agree more; at least mustaqbal and M14 are against Al Asir. We cannot say the same regarding Aoun and Khizbullah.
11 November 2012, 17:39
00
You can only run the marathon because the resistance is safe guarding Lebanon:) The salfist is a trouble maker who think he is someone, soon he will crawl back under the stone he emerged from in wahabi KSA.
11 November 2012, 18:06
513
The Hezz are pushing into areas inflaming the country because they have guns pointed at everyone's heads. I am glad there people are standing up to them. Even better they are getting killed in their foreign adventure in Syria.
11 November 2012, 18:14
216
in 1975, the civil war started from Saida, will it start again now?
both salafists and hizbushaitan are driving the country down the drain, and they are traitors to Lebanon.
anyone who messes with security is destroying Lebanon.
hizbushaitan are the worst thing that ever existed, and if we look carefully, al asir might be their creation to take away the popularity of al mustaqbal.
11 November 2012, 18:27
26
it just proves how extremes meet. both want war, both want to fight against each other and who is the victim: the lebanese people once again...none of them is better than the other.
looks like lebanon is still in the middle ages and some lebanese like it that way!
the gvt now should make a law forbidding ALL religious posters, ALL political posters in the streets!
but we know how weak and coward they are....
11 November 2012, 19:50
13
Well done sheikh Asir, and whilst you're at work, remove this old Israeli tank mounted with fake rockets which date back to 1982. Time to turn the page and remove ALL political and sectarian banners from Lebanon.
11 November 2012, 19:53
24
Extremism breeds extremism. It's unfortunate that some Sunnis are following such a hardliner, but it's predictable because everyone in Lebanon has a pointed gun at them from Hezbollah. Frustration will lead to extremism.
11 November 2012, 20:39
00
There should be a law that bans ALL political banners, martyrs, slogans and every other crap that's put up. Speaking as a shiite from the south, it disgusts me when I come to Lebanon to visit and from the moment you enter Saida till Naqoura and every village in between all you see are war slogans, posters of martyr this and martyr that, Liberate Quds, and all. It's very nauseating. I wonder if am coming home or am in a war zone. What backwardness
11 November 2012, 21:35
00
beginning to see the limits of hizballah....way to go.
arms with the lebanese army alone....or with everybody,that is the only viable solution.
11 November 2012, 21:36
13
wow--the problem with you types is that you don't get a good education and really don't know how to read. please note: "groups, especially, but not limited to, HA and Amal:--this means other groups are involved. You a genius--NOT
How about talking to uncle hassan and seeing if you can get more than a 5th grade education--it may help in understanding basic concepts like reading comprehension.
11 November 2012, 22:06
02
Decent people stay home and mind their own business. I had been to Lebanon many times. I found most of you are involved so much in politics, which get you nothing back in return. Civilized people pay attention to their lives and families, not their politicians. But in Lebanon you do the opposite.
11 November 2012, 22:49
02
agreed--problem here is that the political parties don't want people to have distractions like jobs,public sports venues, or even electricity to keep themselves occupied and be content or satisfied. They want to keep themselves relevant by making everyone miserable or unhappy.
When people figure this out, maybe something will happen.
11 November 2012, 23:22
02
It will be funny if they have a beard Fight (Hassan VS Asir) the winner gets a one way ticket to Iran or Yemen ..
11 November 2012, 23:40
12
What do you expect sunis to do? they have killed hariri, 3eedo, wisam 3eed, wisam 7asan, what did hariri junior do for them? he left to france, injustice breeds fundamentalism, there will come a day the she3a yetra7amu 3ala rafiq 7ariri who was patriotic and not sectarian. The suicide attacks are sadly coming to lebanon, matter of time before the syrian tide comes here.
12 November 2012, 03:54
32
Not a fan of Hezbollah, but one of the only reasons I kinda don't mind them being armed is should Lebanon face an Islamist movement, or the Palestinians, they are almost guaranteed to be put down. Now Sheikh Assir is a cool guy (in a funny way), I like him, but I think he is insane and wouldn't want him to be armed.
12 November 2012, 04:13
15
I'm pro Assir as long as he doesn't get armed. The day he and his followers roam around in tinted windows jeeps with heavy machine guns is the day he -irreversibly- loses my support.
12 November 2012, 04:18
23
Well he obviously was armed to an extent. His bodyguard had a gun it seems. Assir does not have many supporters, if I could see one Salafi in Lebanon eliminated I think it should be Fadel Shakr. That coward renounced music and described his past as "haram" to join Assir. Very dangerous example for the youth, read on Naharnet the LAF surrounded his house today. Good first step.
12 November 2012, 08:43
15
kanaandian: when people get desperate they turn to God. (since politicians don't care about them).
anyway, of course a bodyguard has to be armed, but his followers don't have SUV filled up with RPGs and katyousha rockets. I was there last month near his mosque (with closed road which was news to me since my last visit in Saida in 2011). A hundred meeter from there, there's this lady named 'wadee3a' whom makes the best mana'eesh in the Abra vicinity.
shoo'l 7al anyway? killing people? akeed la'
12 November 2012, 08:48
23
benzona, I understand your point on Assir but I disagree about the God part. If you look around the Arab and Islamic world, you see "desperate" people who are not facing oppression or living under dictatorship still "turning to God". The Salafi movement, look around. Look at Assir's top dawg, Fadel Shaker. Went from playing music to renouncing it as evil and haram to become one of Assirs Salafists. Was Shaker desperate? Akid la, a rich man who had it all. But I guess his lust for Shia got the best of him, if it were not for Qatari oil money? Needless to say, Assir has a valid point on HA arms - hence, why he has popular support, but should he ever arm himself he becomes "one of them" and even more dangerous.
12 November 2012, 10:37
12
someone doesn't appreciate our exchange of words.... red thumbs... because they're seeing red. May God help them.
12 November 2012, 07:21
13
Assir w Hizballa get the hell out of our country we are sick of your mentality , followers as sheep leave LEBANON alone
12 November 2012, 12:25
11
FTTTTTTTTT............false Throwerrr... where are u? why are u not defending ur mates?
12 November 2012, 14:03
00
Let them settle their score the old fashion way and may the best beard win..
Asir Looks like an aging Harry Potter with a serious drinking problem.
Cheer Up
18 November 2012, 18:30
00
This Salafi clown is now fanning the fire of sectarian war in Lebanon. Yet he sheds crocodile tears for Lebanon. These Wahabi and Salafi terrorists don't know anything except the logic of terror. He certainly make his masters happy with his actions
