Lebanese soldiers deployed at al-Nour square, Tripoli, North Lebanon, January 31, 2021 during protests. (Photo credit: AFP / Fathi al-Masri)
BEIRUT – A man accused of possessing assault weapons and ammunition was arrested Thursday evening in Tripoli, wrote the Lebanese army on Twitter.
Here’s what we know:
• “A military patrol arrested [the suspect], MN, during a homee search in the Abi Samra neighborhood of Tripoli,” the army wrote in a statement, explaining that the individual is suspected of having discharged a weapon during a clash in Tripoli.
• The army seized assault rifles, BTU-type rockets, a shotgun, ammunition, communication equipment, and a gas mask.
• Armed clashes between rival families in Tripoli’s Bab al-Tabbaneh neighborhood Monday left two people dead and several injured, while the following day, a second armed clash between members of rival families in the Hay al-Barraniyyeh neighborhood left two injured.
• Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi affirmed Thursday that "no security incident will affect the legislative elections" on May 15. His remarks come days after family disputes degenerated into armed clashes in Tripoli.