Two dead in clashes between Lebanon’s Hezbollah, residents of Christian town

Two people were killed on Wednesday in clashes between members of Shi’ite armed group Hezbollah and residents of a Christian town after residents surrounded an overturned lorry, two security sources told Reuters.

The truck overturned on a downhill turn near the mountain town of Kahaleh on Wednesday evening and residents swiftly shut down the road around it, the sources said.

One of the security sources said the truck belonged to Hezbollah and that one of the dead was a member of the group while the second was a Christian resident of the town.

Neither source could give details on the contents of the truck. There was no immediate comment from Hezbollah.

Lebanese broadcasters Al-Jadeed and MTV Lebanon aired footage of men in plainclothes shooting rifles in the street.

The broadcasters later showed Lebanese army troops deployed around the lorry at nightfall while a crane worked to remove wooden crates from it. Large groups of residents were still gathered around, with many telling the broadcasters that they intended to keep the road closed.

Hezbollah is a powerful party that retained its weapons following Lebanon‘s civil war and has deployed in neighbouring Syria.

Two years ago, at least seven people were killed in clashes along a former frontline of Lebanon‘s civil war, following a rally held by Hezbollah and its Shi’ite ally Amal against a judge investigating the Beirut port blast of 2020.