Zoaiter Family Member Killed in Clash with Army in Fanar as Man Shot Dead in Akkar
A clash broke out on Friday between the army and a suspect wanted on drug dealing charges, reported the National News Agency, as a man was killed and four other were hurt, including two troops, in a shooting in Akkar.
NNA said that the shootout erupted between a security patrol and Murad Zoaiter as he was being chased in al-Zoaiteriyeh neighborhood in al-Fanar.
He was wounded in the clash and later transferred to Mar Youssef Hospital in Dora where he died from his injuries “despite the intense medical care he received,” added NNA.
In an official statement, the army said its patrol “came under gunfire from Murad Abbas Munir Zoaiter, who is wanted on 24 arrest warrants over theft, assault and drug dealing offenses.”
“The members of the patrol responded in kind,” the statement added, noting that Military Police has launched a probe into the incident.
Soon after news of his death broke out, members of his clan in al-Zoaiteriyeh fired shots and rocket-propelled grenades into the air.
The military arrived at the scene to contain the tensions.
Meanwhile, residents of al-Zoaiteriyeh told al-Jadeed television that they reject any clashes with the army.
They deemed Zoaiter's death as an “assassination because the members of the army carried out a dirty operation, fleeing the scene without transporting him to hospital.”
They accused the “gang of the army intelligence, led by Khaled Abou Ali, of killing Zoaiter,” reported al-Jadeed.
“We will not remain silent and we will not receive Zoaiter's corpse before the arrest of Abou Ali,” demanded the residents.
They said that the victim was wanted on shooting offenses.
Clashes have frequently erupted between the army and members of the Zoaiter family in the Zoaiteriyeh area in its pursuit of wanted suspects.
Separately, NNA said gunfire erupted near an army checkpoint in the al-Sadaqa area in the northern region of Jurd Akkar.
The shooting resulted in the death of B. M. and the wounding of M. S. D. and A. B. in addition to two soldiers, the agency added.
M.T./Y.R.
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