Armed members emerged and fired shots at the building. Clashes broke out and B7-RPG anti-tank grenades were launched, targeting the buildings between Shiyah and Ain Al-Remaneh.

Protesters concluded their protest outside the Justice Palace, while the Tayouneh area turned into a war zone. Neighboring buildings were rocked by the missiles and the Lebanese watched the exchange of fire and people being killed live on TV.

A military source told Arab News that “calls were immediately made to contain the situation and prevent an escalation” but the violence continued despite the army’s threats to “open fire against any armed person on the road.”

The clashes ended at around 3 p.m. The army urged citizens to evacuate the streets and arrested several armed men.

A source close to Hezbollah and the Amal Movement said: “What happened in Tayouneh cannot be tolerated.”

The two Shiite parties later issued a joint statement: “When the participants in the peaceful demonstration arrived at Tayouneh, they were attacked by snipers from rooftops, followed by a heavy fire resulting in deaths and injuries. Gunshots targeted the heads.”

They accused groups from the Lebanese Forces party that were present in nearby neighborhoods and on rooftops of using sniper rifles to kill people and “willfully drag the country into a deliberate strife.”

They called on the army “to take responsibility and intervene to stop those criminals,” while also urging their supporters to “remain calm and not to be dragged into this vicious strife.”

The leader of the Lebanese Forces party, Samir Geagea, condemned the events. “The main reason behind them is the lack of gun control threatening the lives of citizens at any moment and any place,” he said.

He called for “full and accurate investigations” to determine what had happened.

The dead and wounded were taken to hospital. But injuries were not limited to one side, with civilians from all religious sects hurt. 

There were fires in properties and old men and women were evacuated.

Tensions extended to sensitive areas in the Bekaa Valley, where armed members supporting Hezbollah and the Amal Movement were seen in convoys waving the parties’ flags.

Officials and politicians rushed to contain the situation and condemn it.

The Central Security Council held an emergency meeting, after which Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi warned: “Civil peace is not to be messed with. The clashes started with gunshots by snipers. Someone was shot in the head, and this is not acceptable. Shooting people in the head is a very dangerous matter. Chaos is not in anyone’s interest. Relevant bodies will start arresting people to allow the law to take its course.”

France on Thursday expressed concern over the deadly unrest and urged all parties to calm the situation.

“France is deeply concerned over the recent hindering of the smooth running of the investigation… and the violence that has occurred in this context. France calls on all parties to bring about a de-escalation,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.

On Aug. 4, 2020, some 2750 tons of highly explosive ammonium nitrate blew up in the port of Beirut after being inadequately stored there since 2013, killing more than 200 people and wounding thousands.

* With Agencies