Lebanon: Armed clashes in Aramoun February 6

Event

On the evening of Tuesday, February 6, violent clashes erupted between members of Hezbollah and the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) in Aramoun, south of Beirut. The situation arose from an incident in which a Syrian man, later found to be affiliated with Hezbollah, was allegedly following a girl in the street and was confronted by two PSP members. Hezbollah militants quickly arrived on the scene and opened fire, wounding the two PSP members in the attack. Armed clashes involving PSP supporters, local residents, and Hezbollah members continued until the Lebanese army intervened later the same night. Heightened security measures, motor patrols, and associated roadblocks were reported overnight on February 6-7. A heightened security presence is expected to persist in the area over the coming days.

Context

According to local media sources, some 300 armed Hezbollah militants have recently entered the area, fomenting high tensions between the Hezbollah militants and local residents. The Lebanese army has also been deployed in the area to control local tensions.

Advice

Individuals in the Beirut area are advised to monitor developments to the situation, avoid Aramoun in the coming days, and adhere to all instructions issued by the local authorities. As a reminder, most governments advise their citizens against travel to the south of Beirut due to poor security conditions.