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Offices of two major parties set on fire, Lebanon's state-run agency reports Political party offices in Lebanon set alight after crackdown on protests
(32 minutes later)
Attacks come after violent crackdown on anti-government protests which began two months ago Parties of former PM and foreign minister targeted after violent clashes in Beirut
Attackers in northern Lebanon set fire to the offices of two major political parties on Sunday, state-run National News Agency has said. Attackers in northern Lebanon set fire to the offices of two main political parties on Sunday, the state-run National News Agency has said.
The assaults came just hours after Beirut, the capital, was rocked by the most violent government crackdown on protesters since nationwide demonstrations began two months ago. In the town of Kharibet al-Jindi, an office of the party of the former prime minister Saad Hariri was torched and its windows were broken.
Lebanese security forces fired rubber bullets, tear gas and used water cannons throughout the night to disperse protesters in the city centre and around parliament. In a separate attack in town of Jedidat al-Juma, assailants stormed an office of the largest party in parliament, affiliated with President Michel Aoun and headed by the foreign minister, Gebran Bassil. The party said the contents of the office had been smashed and burned.
The overnight confrontations left more than 130 people injured, according to the Red Cross and the Lebanese Civil Defense. Hours earlier in the capital, Beirut, security forces had carried out the most violent crackdown on protesters since nationwide demonstrations began two months ago.
On Sunday the local office for resigned prime minister Saad Hariri’s political party in Kharibet al-Jindi was torched and its windows were broken. The security forces fired rubber bullets, teargas and used water cannons throughout the night to disperse protesters in the city centre and around parliament.
In a separate attack in Akkar district, assailants stormed the local office of the largest party in parliament, affiliated with president Michel Aoun and headed by foreign minister Gebran Bassil. Their party said the contents of the office in the town of Jedidat al-Juma had also been smashed and burned. The overnight confrontations left more than 130 people injured, according to the Red Cross and the Lebanese civil defence.
Lebanon is facing one of its worst economic crises in decades, and the protesters accuse the political class which has been ruling for three decades of mismanagement and corruption. The interior minister, Raya Haffar al-Hassan, ordered an investigation into the clashes, which she said had injured both protesters and security forces.
The violence comes a day before the president is due to hold talks with different parliamentary blocs to name a new prime minister on Monday. She blamed what she called “infiltrators“ for instigating the violence and called on the demonstrators to be wary of those who sought to exploit their protests for political reasons.
On Sunday interior minister Raya Haffar al-Hassan ordered an investigation into the clashes which she said had injured both protesters and security forces. Lebanon is facing one of its worst economic crises in decades, and the protesters accuse the political class that has been ruling for three decades of mismanagement and corruption.
Al-Hassan blamed what she called “infiltrators“ for instigating the friction and called on the demonstrators to be wary of those who want to exploit their protests for political reasons. The nationwide protests began on 17 October, and the government headed by Hariri resigned two weeks later. Political parties have since been bickering over the shape and form of the new cabinet. Protesters want a technocratic government that is not affiliated with established political parties.
The nationwide protests began on 17 October and the government headed by Hariri resigned two weeks later. Political parties have since been bickering over the shape and form of the new cabinet. Protesters want a technocratic government, not affiliated with established political parties. Aoun is due to hold talks with different parliamentary blocs to name a new prime minister on Monday. After weeks of back and forth, Hariri has emerged as the likely candidate for the job.
After weeks of back and forth, Hariri has emerged as the likely candidate for the job.