Hizballah fighters clashed with Ahbash (a Syrian-backed Sunni organization) fighters in the Abi Haidar neighborhood of Beirut on the night of August 24th, 2010, leaving one Hizballah official (Mohammad Fawaz, the Hizballah director for the neighborhood) and his bodyguard dead. A 19 year old Kurdish resident of the neighborhood (described as an Ahbash fighter) along with another bystander were also killed (reportedly in a nearby neighborhood which got caught up in the fighting). NOWLebanon has a good on the ground piece on the finding.
Meanwhile, speculation abounds as to the "significance" of the clash given the Ahbash's unilateral and superseding loyalty to the Syrian regime - and, of course, Hizballah's to Iran - and the feverish fervor and eagerness to fight displayed by both parties.
The clash comes in light of intense speculation and popular apprehension of upcoming Special Tribunal for Lebanon indictments rumored to be issued in December. In recent weeks Hizballah has aggressively maneuvered to cast doubt on the Tribunal and the investigation into the Hariri assassination (as well as those that followed) and paint it as an international conspiracy contrived against the Iranian-outfitted group.
Meanwhile, speculation abounds as to the "significance" of the clash given the Ahbash's unilateral and superseding loyalty to the Syrian regime - and, of course, Hizballah's to Iran - and the feverish fervor and eagerness to fight displayed by both parties.
The clash comes in light of intense speculation and popular apprehension of upcoming Special Tribunal for Lebanon indictments rumored to be issued in December. In recent weeks Hizballah has aggressively maneuvered to cast doubt on the Tribunal and the investigation into the Hariri assassination (as well as those that followed) and paint it as an international conspiracy contrived against the Iranian-outfitted group.
Some images of the gunfight (via DayLife) and its after effects below:
Above: A Lebanese gunman takes position along Burj Abi Haidar Street in Beirut, late on August 24, 2010, during clashes between the Shiite movement Hezbollah and a Sunni Muslim group al-Ahbash (Getty Images). Second: Lebanon's Hezbollah gunmen walk at Burj Abi Haidar street in Beirut during clashes (Reuters Pictures).Third: Lebanese civil defense workers carry an injured man that was hit in the clashes that erupted (AP Photo). Bottom: Lebanese people flee the area of clashes in Beirut's Burj Abi Haidar neighbourhood on August 24, 2010 (Getty Images).
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