1 Dead, 2 Hurt in Army Raid to Arrest Fugitive in al-Faour

One person was killed and two others were wounded in a clash with the army during a raid to arrest a fugitive in the Bekaa town of al-Faour on Thursday.

“As an army intelligence patrol was conducting a raid in the town of al-Faour to arrest a fugitive from the al-Itani family, it came under gunfire, which prompted its members to return fire,” state-run National News Agency reported.

“The exchange of gunfire left Amer al-Itani dead and two people – one identified as Ayman al-Itani – wounded,” NNA said.

Amer's body and the wounded were transported to the Lebanese-French Hospital as residents of the town gathered outside the facility, the agency added.

Later on Thursday, the Army Command issued a statement saying “as an army force was conducting a raid to arrest a number of fugitives in the Bekaa town of al-Faour, it was intercepted by a mob who pelted the patrol with stones and opened fire on it, damaging a military vehicle, which prompted the patrol's members to return fire.”

“Three people were wounded and rushed to hospitals in the area and one of them died later of his wounds,” it added.

The Army Command said normalcy was restored in the town, noting that military police has opened a probe into the incident under the supervision of the relevant judicial authorities.

But the unrest continued later on Thursday, with the National News Agency reporting that residents of al-Faour have erected a tent in the middle of the public road to receive condolences over the death of Amer al-Itani.

It also reported that a civilian car came under gunfire while passing on al-Faour's bridge.

"Fahd Elias Ghanem, who hails from Hawsh al-Omara, filed a report with the Riyaq police station that while he was driving his car, accompanied by Tony Sami Trad and Sami Wadih Sherro ... they passed on the bridge of the town of al-Faour, where they saw a gathering of people,” NNA said.

“When they tried to bypass the gathering, an unknown individual opened fire from a pistol at their car, smashing the glass of the right rear window and the rear window, while no one was hurt,” it added.

On July 31, a soldier was killed and another injured during a raid to arrest fugitives in the Bekaa town of Majdal Anjar. The army revealed that troops managed to arrest "one of the most dangerous fugitives in the country."