One Killed, dozens injured in clashes in Beirut
SANAA, Aug. 9 (YPA) – One was killed and more than 70 security personnel were injured during demonstrations in Beirut on Saturday evening, Lebanese security authorities said in a statement on Sunday, in the wake of an explosion that hit the city’s port on Tuesday.
The statement added that 20 people were arrested “one of them was caught in possession of drugs, and as a result of the tests, 13 of them were addicted to drugs”.
According to the media: protesters stormed the buildings of the ministries of economy and environment as part of the protests, as well as eyewitnesses said that headquarters of the Lebanese Ministry of Energy and the headquarters of the Lebanese Banking Association were stormed yesterday evening.
The Lebanese Army reportedly stormed the foreign ministry headquarters to remove the demonstrators.
Security forces fired tear gas in the vicinity of the Parliament in central Beirut to disperse hundreds of protesters.
Flames were seen rising near the House of Representatives and a truck set on fire by the protesters .
The Lebanese Red Cross said 63 wounded were taken to area hospitals and 175 were rescued at the scene of the demonstrations.
Politically, Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab called for early parliamentary elections as a way out of the current crisis, pointing out that he will raise the matter to the cabinet meeting next Monday.
“It is only through early parliamentary elections that we can get out of the country’s crisis,” Diab said in a televised address on Saturday.
“On Monday, I will present to the cabinet a draft law to hold early parliamentary elections,” he said, adding that Lebanon has suffered a huge disaster and we live under the weight of this disaster, which has had devastating effects.
He confirmed that all those responsible for the Beirut port explosion will be investigated.
“I am ready to take responsibility for two months until the political parties agree on a solution to the current crisis,” the Lebanese prime minister said.
E.M