Army Arrests Soldiers for 'Beating, Insulting' Asir-Linked Detainee
The Army Command announced on Saturday detaining several soldiers for attacking an arrested man involved in last June's clashes against the military institution in the southern city of Sidon.
"After viewing a video spread online that shows a number of soldiers beating and insulting a detainee, the military institution has arrested several troops involved in the incident,” the Army Command's Orientation Directorate said in a communique.
The statement stressed: “The Army Command will adopt severe disciplinary measures against those proven to be involved in the attack.”
"We will not disregard any violation of this kind, regardless of where and under which conditions it took place.”
On Thursday, the army also handed over to the military police soldiers suspected of humiliating and beating a man suspected of ties to Salafist cleric Ahmed al-Asir.
The body was identified as Nader al-Bayoumy, whom the Association of Muslim Scholars said had "handed himself in" after the Abra clash.
Eighteen soldiers were killed and 20 others were wounded in the fierce clashes with gunmen loyal to al-Asir on June 23 and 24. Twenty members of Asir's armed group were also killed.
State Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Saqr Saqr charged on Thursday 27 people for their involvement in the battles where Bilal Bin Rabah mosque is located.
Ten of them were charged in absentia, including al-Asir and a onetime prominent singer-turned Salafist Fadel Shaker.
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