A political party members was on Tuesday shot dead by soldiers as he try to open a road closed by protesters in southern Beirut late, reported by tge army, marking the killing first first of it kind in 27 days of nationwide protests.
Lebanon army said in a statement that the man was shot in Khaldeh neighborhood after an exchange of words during which a soldier opened fire to disperse the crowd, hitting one person. The report disclosed that army command had opened an investigation on the issue.
The killing was said to have caused the raise of tensions that is already running high in the country, which has been engulfed by nationwide protests since Oct. 17. The leaderless, economically driven protests were triggered by new proposed taxes and have quickly evolved into the most sustained that Lebanon has seen in years.
The victim was identified as a local official with the Progressive Socialist Party headed by Walid Jumblatt, political leader of Lebanon’s Druze community. It was confirmed by the party’s Al-Anbaa newspaper.
Protesters had poured into the streets Tuesday night closing roads around Lebanon after President Michel Aoun said in a televised interview that there could be further delays before a new government is formed.
Newtime, report that “Prime Minister Saad Hariri resigned his government Oct. 29 in response to the demonstrations. Protesters are demanding a government made up of technocrats that would address the worst economic and financial crisis Lebanon has confronted in decades.
Lebanon’s banking association said banks would remain closed because of a strike by employees. Banks were supposed to have reopened Tuesday following a three-day closure. Depositors have rushed to withdraw money in recent days amid the rapidly deteriorating economic and financial crisis.”
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