Lebanon: Hezbollah official warns against sectarian strife

The official in charge of Hezbollah’s Preaching and Cultural Activity Unit, Sayyid Ali Fahs, yesterday warned against being drawn into “sectarian strife” in Lebanon after armed clashes that erupted in the predominantly Christian town of Al-Kahala, Anadolu news agency reported.

On Wednesday evening clashes broke out on the road to Al-Kahala, east of the capital Beirut, after a Hezbollah truck carrying ammunition overturned, killing two people, including a Hezbollah member, and a Christian town resident.

Speaking during the funeral of Ahmed Ali Qassas, the Hezbollah member who was killed, Fahs described the clashes as an “unjustified attack”.

“In the past, incidents took place during which some have tried to drag us into sedition, but we were not dragged,” Fahs said, adding that Qassas was killed “unjustly in this blatant and unjustified assault”, while the Hezbollah members were communicating with the security authorities to tow the truck.

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He stressed that the entire incident is being investigated by the competent security forces.

“We are awaiting the investigations and procedures that will be issued by them,” he added.

Qassas’s funeral was held in a predominantly Shia suburb of southern Beirut, amid angry crowds, punctuated by heavy gunfire, according to Anadolu.

Fadi Bejjani’s funeral was held today in the Church of St. Anthony in the Kahala area.

Relatives and friends carry the coffin of Fadi Bejjani during his funeral in the Christian town of Kahaleh, Lebanon. Fadi Bejjani was killed during clashes between members of Hezbollah and residents of the Christian town of Kahaleh. 📸 EPA / Wael Hamzeh #Lebanon #Hezbollah pic.twitter.com/lv3TC3fLLr

— EPA Images (@EPA_Images) August 11, 2023