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Four Hezbollah members summoned in Kahaleh shootout investigation

A Hezbollah spokesperson told L'Orient Today that the four members who were at the scene were summoned for investigation.

Four Hezbollah members summoned in Kahaleh shootout investigation

People carry the body of a Hezbollah fighter during his funeral in Beirut's predominantly Shiite Muslim southern suburb, on Aug. 10, 2023 after he was killed the previous day amid clashes between Hezbollah and residents of the Christian town of Kahaleh. (Credit: Joao Sousa/L'Orient Today)

BEIRUT — The military court summoned four Hezbollah members Monday for investigation following a clash earlier this month that killed a village resident and a Hezbollah member, a Hezbollah spokesperson told L'Orient Today.

On Aug. 9, two people were killed in an exchange of fire between Hezbollah members and residents of the majority-Christian village of Kahaleh after a truck belonging to Hezbollah overturned in the area. Hezbollah said in a later statement that the truck contained munitions and was accompanied by one of its cars.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah also stated in a subsequent speech that the convoy included three to five people. Both sides in the clash have accused each other of instigating the deadly gunfight.

Contacted by L'Orient Today, a Hezbollah spokesperson said that the four members who were at the scene were summoned for investigation.

At least four people — all residents of Kahaleh — were summoned on Friday by the military court over the incident.

A senior Lebanese Army source could not confirm the number of people who were summoned so far for the incident.

The municipality of Kahaleh, along with some of its residents and local authorities, released a statement on Friday condemning the summoning of its residents. "It is not acceptable that the investigation starts with unarmed individuals who were present ... instead of concentrating on the armed group which opened fire with their automatic weapons to try to intimidate them."

"The investigation is a duty for justice but it shouldn't start from the wrong place in which the assaulters are the same as those who were attacked," the statement added.

Municipal officials and some residents of Kahaleh met Monday with Lebanese Army commander Gen. Joseph Aoun and the head of the Army Intelligence unit, after which they stated that the Kahaleh residents summoned last week for investigation "will appear to say their testimonies as witnesses." 

The Lebanese Army subsequently seized the contents of the truck.

On Aug. 11, Hezbollah spokesperson Mohammad Afif Naboulsi revealed to L'Orient Today that the party expected to recover the items "in the next few days."

However, on Monday, a spokesperson for Hezbollah told L'Orient Today that the party did not receive the items yet in spite of the fact that "there was an agreement with the army since day one, but it was postponed due to pressure on the army." 

A senior Lebanese Army source denied the existence of such a deal with Hezbollah: "There is an investigation ongoing and the courts will decide on the matter."

BEIRUT — The military court summoned four Hezbollah members Monday for investigation following a clash earlier this month that killed a village resident and a Hezbollah member, a Hezbollah spokesperson told L'Orient Today.On Aug. 9, two people were killed in an exchange of fire between Hezbollah members and residents of the majority-Christian village of Kahaleh after a truck belonging to...