The Wadi Khaled area of North Lebanon on July 26, 2022. (Courtesy of Michel Hallak)
BEIRUT — One person was killed and several injured Tuesday when a personal dispute escalated into an armed clash between rival clans in the Wadi Khaled area of North Lebanon near the Syrian border, L’Orient Today’s correspondent there reported.
Here’s what we know:
• According to L’Orient Today’s correspondent, the dispute started between two public transport drivers and escalated into a fight with knives and sticks. Businesses in the area closed due to the tension in the street. The fight then reportedly devolved into an armed clash between two rival families from nearby localities.
• Heavy gunfire was reported in the localities of Kneiseh and Hneider in Wadi Khaled, according to L’Orient Today’s correspondent. Following the clash, the Lebanese Army deployed personnel to the area to contain the tension. The correspondent reported one person killed and 10 injured. Three of the injured were apparently hospitalized.
• Lebanon is struggling from an unprecedented economic crisis that is contributing to worsening security in some regions. Meanwhile, some residents have resorted to vigilantism and violence in areas where the government does not exert strong security control.
Additional reporting by Michel Hallak