Seven killed in Beirut riots
BEIRUT (AFP) — At least seven people, including five political activists, were killed on Sunday when street protests over power cuts descended into violence in the mainly Shiite southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital.
The bloodshed came amid fears of civil unrest in Lebanon which has been gripped by a protracted presidential crisis, and two days after a massive car bombing killed a top intelligence officer.
Violence swept the southern suburbs of Beirut, a stronghold of the Shiite militant movement Hezbollah which is spearheading a campaign against the ruling coalition.
Youths wielding sticks and iron bars went on the rampage, pelting cars with stones and setting some on fire while the army was out in force in a bid to prevent the riots from spreading to nearby Sunni and Christian districts.
Prime Minister Fuad Siniora condemned the violence and called for a national day of mourning on Monday.
"This is an hour of sadness. Our country is passing through the most dangerous times," he said.
"I call on all the people to put their trust in the army at these most difficult times and await the results of the investigations that the army and the security services are undertaking."
The riots were the worst since January 2007 when seven people were killed in clashes between students loyal to rival camps, prompting the army to impose a brief curfew for the first time since the end of the 1975-1990 civil war.
An official from the Shiite Amal movement, a pillar of the opposition, said one of its members, Ahmad Hamza Hamza, 21, was killed along with four Hezbollah activists, a rescue worker and a civilian.
Officials said more than 19 people were wounded.
The violence escalated after Hamza, who was cooperating with the army, was killed. It was unclear who fired at the victims, amid reports of snipers shooting into the crowd from rooftops.
Amal and Hezbollah appealed for calm.
"The situation must be contained. We appeal to all the people who are on the streets to go home so that security forces can restore calm to the region," Amal MP Ali Hassan Khalil said, insisting his group was not behind the protests.
The ruling coalition blamed the opposition for the unrest saying it was being manipulated by Syria and Iran.
"The forces of the Syrian-Iranian axis are fomenting unrest and these events are very dangerous," a statement said. "The opposition, which answers to Syria and Iran, is solely responsible for the blood spilled today."
The army shut down many roads to stop the protests from spreading, and soldiers also took positions on rooftops.
As night fell, demonstrators temporarily cut the main airport road with burning tyres while gunfire rang out sporadically across the southern suburbs.
A car that had been set ablaze exploded, triggering panic in Beirut where only two days ago a massive car bombing killed a top anti-terror officer and four other people.
A top security official warned the riots could spread unless politicians reined in their supporters.
"The politicians alone can decide whether to contain their followers or to give them the green light to spread mayhem," the official told AFP. "But all indications are that the situation will escalate and that these protests will become our daily fare."
The unrest flared after demonstrators protesting at power cuts set ablaze tyres, blocking a main road linking the Chiyah and Mar Mikhael neighbourhoods.
The army fired warning shots to disperse the demonstrators, a security official said.
Witnesses told AFP that gunmen in the crowd opened fire at the security forces who retaliated.
Demonstrators have faced off with security forces on several occasions in the past few days over power cuts and rising prices.
Sunday's unrest came as Arab League foreign ministers concluded a meeting to try to press feuding Lebanese politicians to elect a new president to fill a post that has been vacant since November 24.
The ministers urged Lebanese lawmakers to elect army chief Michel Sleiman at a parliament session scheduled for February 11 after numerous delays.
The French embassy urged its citizens to exercise caution and avoid any travel in Beirut while Canada advised its nationals against travelling to Lebanon.
