Moscow is extremely concerned about the growing political tensions in Lebanon in the light of the shooting in Beirut, and calls on politicians for restraint, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
“Moscow is extremely concerned about the growth of political tension in Lebanon. We hope that with considerable difficulty the formed government of Najib Mikati will cope with this dangerous challenge and will not allow further degradation of the situation in the country,” the ministry said in a statement.
“We call on all Lebanese politicians to show restraint and prudence, to return to joint constructive work in the interests of resolving current issues on the national agenda on the basis of mutual respect and consent, without external interference,” the Russian Foreign Ministry noted, also stressing that the Russians during the shooting did not suffer.
“As a result of the shooting, according to the Lebanese Interior Ministry, six people were killed. There are several dozen wounded. The Russian Embassy in Beirut reported that there were no Russian citizens among the victims,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a commentary.
Earlier, the Shiite movements Hezbollah and Amal accused the Lebanese forces of shooting at demonstrators in the Tayuna area in the Lebanese capital Beirut. In turn, the leader of the Lebanese Forces, Samir Jadja, called on the authorities to thoroughly investigate the incident and find the culprits.
Fighting with the use of live grenades and RPGs began in Tayune after unidentified persons opened fire on the demonstrators of the Shiite parties “Haraket Amal” and “Hezbollah”. The protesters planned to hold a peaceful rally outside the main courthouse in Beirut demanding the dismissal of Judge Tarek Bitar, who is leading the case of the explosion in the port. According to supporters of Shiite parties, the judge’s decisions are politicized and illegal. The battle between the army and a group of armed men went on for several hours. Civilians were being evacuated from the battle zone. According to the Lebanese Red Cross, six people died and more than 30 were injured.