BEIRUT — After the results of the Lebanese baccalaureate were announced Thursday, “celebratory shootings took place,” injuring some and causing material damage in other places.
Here’s what we know:
• As soon as the results were published, the sounds of fireworks and shots were heard, especially in the Baalbeck-Hermel region, according to L’Orient Today’s correspondent in the area.
• A woman in her forties was injured by a stray bullet, suffering a hit to the spine. Soon after, the Lebanese Army raided the homes of several alleged shooters, although they have not yet released an official statement on this case.
• In South Lebanon, shots rang out in the Palestinian refugee camp of Ain al-Hilweh, reports L’Orient Today’s correspondent in region, despite the injunction of the joint security force, which had called not to resort to this practice.
• Celebratory shootings are common in Lebanon and regularly claim casualties. After the May 15 legislative elections, several people, including children, were injured by stray bullets. This practice continues although it was criminalized in 2016 and by early 2021 the penalties for the shootings had been strengthened.
Additional reporting done by Mountasser Abdallah and Sarah Abdallah.