A vehicle riddled with bullets after an exchange of fire in Machghara, Bekaa, Lebanon, Oct. 11, 2022. (Courtesy of Sarah Abdallah/L'Orient Today))
BEIRUT —A man was killed and five others were injured by gunfire during armed clashes between rival families in Machgara, a town in the western Bekaa, on Tuesday, L'Orient Today's correspondent in the region reported.
The wounded were transferred for treatment in hospitals far from the site of the clashes to avoid dragging the conflict into the hospitals of the region.
Among the injured was a senior member of the Amal Movement and his aid, the both from the Ammar family. According to L'Orient Today's correspondent, the two were wounded when their vehicle passed through Machgara and shots were fired in their direction. They have both been hospitalized.
The incident was followed by violent clashes between the Ammar and Sharaf families. One man, Jaafar Sharaf, was killed and his brother injured. Another brother of Sharaf and his uncle, a local mokhtar ("mayor"), were killed a month ago.
Schools in the area evacuated their students for fear of a violent escalation, and the Lebanese Army deployed a large force to the area.
The shooting appeared to have ceased as of Tuesday evening.
The incident is thought to be the result of a family vendetta in a region where armed clashes are common. Such incidents result from "the failure of a mediation of Amal, Hezbollah and the Supreme Shiite Council," according to our correspondent.
The security situation in the region continues to deteriorate as Lebanon struggles with an ongoing economic crisis. The Lebanese Army is struggling to contain and prevent armed personal vendettas, especially in the Bekaa, where rival tribes and clans are widespread.
Additional reporting contributed by Sarah Abdallah.