Smoke over Baalbeck during clashes between the Lebanese Army and individuals suspected of drug trafficking, on Aug. 6, 2025. (Credit: Photo sent by Sarah Abdallah)
BEKAA — A Lebanese Army unit, with the support of the Directorate of Intelligence, is carrying out extensive raids in the town of Brital, east of Baalbek, in search of wanted individuals, L'Orient Today's correspondent in the Bekaa reported.
Three people were killed Wednesday in clashes between the Lebanese Army and suspected drug traffickers in the Sharawneh neighborhood of Baalbeck, including the infamous fugitive nicknamed "Abu Salleh."
"Abu Salleh" had been on the run since previous clashes with the army, which killed a soldier, in 2022.
The Bekaa plain, where weapons circulate widely while the state struggles to assert its authority, is often the scene of bloody clashes between rival clans, but also sometimes between the military and heavily armed gangs.
Reporting contributed by Sara Abdalla
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