Baalbek Residents Protest Spread of Chaos, Demand End to Illegal Arms

Baalbek's sub-security council will hold an emergency meeting on Thursday to discuss ways to cope with the security chaos that has aggravated recently in the city in light of calls on the army to maintain security and control the proliferation of illegal arms, As Safir daily said.

The meeting is expected to take place at noon and to be headed by Baalbek Mayor Bachir Khodr.

On Wednesday the markets in Baalbek closed down protesting the proliferation of illegitimate weapons and the night clashes that left their shops damaged.

The traders urged the city's officials to take action and restore order.

Personal disputes that aggravate into shooting between families are common in Baalbek.

On Tuesday, clashes erupted when gunmen opened fire at the Yaghi family house in the Baalbek neighborhood of Ras al-Ayn.

The family was receiving condolences for their son who was killed over the weekend in a dispute with the Tleis family against the backdrop of a theft incident, reports said.

Another armed incident erupted between the Jaafar and al-Masri families where gunfire and shelling left several shops damaged.

D.A.

G.K.