Security Forces Foil Attempt to Liberate Prisoner from Tripoli Hospital

Security forces on Sunday foiled an attempt to liberate a prisoner from a hospital in Tripoli, only eight days after gunmen stormed another hospital in the northern city and set free a man under arrest for allegedly being involved in the shooting at Youth and Sports Minister Faisal Karami's convoy.

“Prisoner H. M. slashed parts of his body with a sharp object and after he was rushed to one of the city's hospitals, a group of people arrived and tried to liberate him, prompting security forces to fire in the air to disperse them,” state-run National News Agency reported.

The prison was quickly transported to Tripoli's serail, NNA said.

Al-Jadeed television reported earlier that heavy gunfire was heard in the vicinity of Monla Hospital in Tripoli.

For its part, LBCI television said security forces foiled an attempt by "unidentified, knife-wielding assailants to liberate a prisoner from Monla Hospital in Tripoli."

On February 23, an armed group stormed the Islamic Hospital in Tripoli and freed prisoner Mohammed Youssef who is accused of involvement in the attack on Karami's convoy.

Youssef was handed over to security forces a few hours later after a mediation by Muslim clerics.

Karami told Radio Voice of Lebanon (93.3) that the gunmen “invaded the hospital, frightened everyone present there and attacked the policemen”.