SIDON, Lebanon: Two Lebanese were killed in the southern city of Sidon yesterday in a gunbattle between supporters of Hezbollah and hardline Sunni cleric Ahmed Al Assir, a security official said.
“Two people were killed and seven injured in clashes between supporters of Al Assir and Hezbollah near a Palestinian refugee camp in Sidon. One of the injured was a representative for Hezbollah for the area,” the source said.
Assir had given an ultimatum to Hezbollah supporters in the southern port city to take down all posters promoting the Shia militia, but that they refused.
Supporters of the cleric then ripped down a poster of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, a staunch ally of Syria’s President Bashar Al Assad, and clashes ensued.
Unknown before the outbreak of the uprising in neighbouring Syria last year, Assir rose to prominence for his outspoken opposition to the Assad regime and his calls for disarming Hezbollah, the strongest military force in the country.
In response to yesterday’s killings, Prime Minister Najib Mikati said he had requested the army and security agencies take prompt measures to bring the situation under control and arrest those behind the violence.AFP
