Unknown individuals storm, vandalize Mar Shalita church in Qobeiyat

Unknown individuals stormed and vandalized the Church of Mar Shalita in Wadi al-Halslaban, on the outskirts of the village of Qobeiyat in Akkar on Saturday night, with several statues of saints smashed and some items set on fire, according to our correspondent in the North.

This is the first time this historic site is subjected to such an attack. According to our correspondent, the site is usually open to the public at all times.

The relevant security agencies and local religious authorities were notified, and investigations have begun to uncover the circumstances of the incident. The incident has been widely condemned by the residents of Qobeiyat and local officials, who called on the competent security authorities to expedite the investigation, identify those responsible, and hold them accountable.

Last June, a Virgin Mary shrine was vandalized in the locality of Shadra, on the road leading to the Mar Yacoub Monastery in Akkar.

This kind of incident is not rare in Lebanon. Religious statues are sometimes vandalized in different regions of the country, arousing the emotions of the faithful.