All news

Over 40 injured in street clashes in Beirut - Red Cross

Law enforcement units used tear gas and rubber bullets against the crowd after protestors started throwing stones and firecrackers

BEIRUT, August 12. /TASS/. About 40 people were injured when police and army units drove out protestors from Beirut city center on Tuesday night, the Lebanese Red Cross said.

Law enforcement units used tear gas and rubber bullets against the crowd after protestors started throwing stones and firecrackers at them.

As a result, a total of 42 people were injured on both sides. Ten of them were taken to hospital, the rest received first aid on site.

Earlier, the Internal Security Forces requested peaceful protestors to leave.

"Police forces are determined to put an end to riots in the city and request peaceful protestors to leave Martyrs' Square," the Internal Security Forces said in a statement.

Monday’s resignation of the cabinet of technocrats failed to ease political tensions in the country. Currently, protestors demand resignation of Lebanese President Michel Aoun, dissolution of parliament and early elections.

The cabinet of technocrats was formed on January 21 and received a vote of confidence on February 11. Diab’s government was supported by the parliamentary majority led by the pro-presidential Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) and the Shiite Amal-Hezbollah tandem. Parties of the pro-Western camp declined to participate in the cabinet and joined the opposition.