View of the Laylaki neighborhood, in the southern suburbs of Beirut. (Credit: Joao Sousa/L'Orient Today)
A bystander was shot in the head and killed Sunday evening in Beirut’s Burj al-Barajneh neighborhood following a clash between local residents, prompting the head of the local municipal council to call on Monday for the state and its security forces to address crime “firmly and with the utmost urgency.”
The shooting occurred in the Ain al-Sekkeh neighborhood of Burj al-Barajneh. According to the state-run National News Agency (NNA), a man pulled out a firearm and shot Mohammed Wissam Aitawi in the head. Aitawi was taken to Rassoul al-Aazam Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
‘Citizens no longer tolerate anarchy’
In a statement, Municipal Council head Atef Mansour condemned the killing and demanded an end to “clashes between rival gangs of thieves, drug dealers, and corrupt individuals” that undermine public order and claim innocent lives. He blamed “uncontrollable elements who do not respect the law” and “ignore warnings from the municipality, law enforcement, and political parties.”
Mansour called on authorities to “effectively deploy the army and Internal Security Forces to protect citizens,” saying this is “a demand by everyone without exception.” He warned that “citizens no longer tolerate anarchy or the destruction of their property by outlaws” and urged the state to intervene before more innocent lives are lost.
Beirut’s southern suburbs, an area with a strong Hezbollah presence, were heavily bombed by the Israeli air force during the 13-month war between Lebanon and Israel from October 2023 to November 2024.