Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Elder of ZiyonThree people were killed in fierce armed clashes between members of Hizbullah and partisans of the Association of Islamic Charitable Projects (Al-Ahbash) in the Beirut area of Burj Abi Haidar on Tuesday evening.The peaceful Islamic charity managed to kill 2 Hizballah men, while only losing one.
Police told Agence France Presse the fighters were using shoulder-launched rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns in the fighting, in which several other people were wounded.
The state-run National News Agency said Hizbullah's official Mohammed Fawwaz and his bodyguard Ali Mohammed Jawad were killed in the fighting.
Media reports said an Ahbash official was also killed in the clashes.
Hizbullah, Lebanon's most powerful political and military force, is backed by Syria and Iran.
Al-Ahbash is also pro-Syrian and describes itself as a charitable organization promoting Islamic culture.
It first came to light in 1983 and gathered strength during the Syrian military presence in Lebanon.
The fighting took place as Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah addressed an all-women iftar banquet.
Apparently, it is not unusual for charities in Lebanon to walk around with RPGs and machine guns.
In other Lebanese news, a seventh dead cow has been found floating off the coast.
I'm not sure which story is weirder.
