Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

Stray bullets hit jets at Beirut airport as Lebanese welcome new year

Stray bullets hit jets at Beirut airport as Lebanese welcome new year

Stray bullets injured three people in Beirut and Tripoli, and damaged two passenger jets at Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport as the Lebanese welcomed the new year in traditional style with celebratory gunfire.

Another man miraculously survived a random bullet that struck his phone while he was wheeling his baggage trolley out of the airport.

With a single bullet costing up to $1, traditional celebrations proved expensive in a country ravaged by economic hardship and currency depreciation, but even the high cost of ammunition failed to dampen the new year festivities, with heavy gunfire heard in many Lebanese regions at midnight, including poor airport neighborhoods inhabited by people forced out of their rural homes.

Stray gunshots caused minor damage to two Middle East Airlines Airbus A321Neo aircraft.

Security services earlier issued warnings against shooting near the airport, and erected checkpoints around its perimeter, as well as in areas where restaurants, cafes and bars are scattered.

Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi oversaw the deployment of extra security patrols.

He also visited checkpoints, and praised security forces for their efforts and sacrifices, especially amid the growing crises.

Mawlawi asked security personnel to remain alert to protect tourists and Lebanese returning for family gatherings.

“I urge you to maintain security and order, and enforce the law firmly without renouncing your humanity and the principle of human rights,” he said.

In the lead-up to the celebrations, Mawlawi described “random shootings” as a crime and promised to carry out strict punishments.

The Internal Security Forces directorate-general said that it is working to identify suspected shooters.

A total of 116 people have been identified so far and now face arrest, it said.

The directorate-general called on people “to report, via documented information, those who insisted on celebrating through this criminal and unethical behavior while knowing very well that their actions pose a threat to the safety of the society.”

The Lebanese Red Cross said that the New Year’s Eve toll included 17 injuries from traffic accidents and five people wounded in disputes.

In his Sunday sermon, Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi reiterated his stance on key issues.

He accused Lebanese politicians of stalling the investigation into the Beirut port explosion for more than two years, describing the obstruction as “a crime in itself that should not go unpunished.”

Al-Rahi also criticized Lebanese officials for “destroying the political, security, economic, living and social peace, while the countries of the world offer all kinds of assistance for the rise of the country.”

These offers fall on deaf ears, he added.

“They don’t respond to conferences, the International Monetary Fund, the statements of friendly countries, the recommendations of the UN, or the calls of Pope Francis,” Al-Rahi said.

“What are they waiting for to alleviate the pain of the people and rescue Lebanon? Everyone should understand that electing a president is the key to overcoming our crisis and finding a solution.

“What’s needed is the election of an honest, courageous and fearless president who can unite all the national components, put things back into perspective, restore the state control over all parties, work to repatriate Syrian refugees and find a solution for Palestine refugees, and take initiatives at the Arab and international levels to restore Lebanon’s historical status.”

Institutional breakdown shows that Lebanon is a failing state that does not qualify for existence or survival, he added.

The last night of 2022 ended with the sinking of a boat carrying illegal Lebanese and Syrian migrants heading to Europe.

The Lebanese Army said that naval forces, assisted by UNIFIL, rescued 232 people in waters off Salaata, in northern Lebanon, and took them to the port of Tripoli.

The bodies of a Syrian woman and a five-year-old Syrian girl were recovered during the operation, the army said.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
China Criticizes US for Vetoing UN Ceasefire Resolution in Gaza
Saudi Arabia ranks first in UN index for e-government services in MENA
Israel Records 20% Drop In GDP, War In Gaza Is The Reason
Saudi Arabia's FDI Inflows Grow with New International Standards
Venture Capitals Power Up Across MENA Region
PM Modi Announces Opening Of New CBSE Office In Dubai
January Funding for MENA Startups Totals $86.5 Million
Saudi Arabia accelerates digital economy growth through Nvidia partnership
Israel unveils tunnels underneath Gaza City headquarters of UN agency for Palestinian refugees
Israel deploys new military AI in Gaza war
Egypt threatens to suspend key peace treaty if Israel pushes into Gaza border town, officials say
Saudi Arabia Warns Of A "Humanitarian Catastrophe" If Israel Moves On Rafah
US University To Shut Qatar Campus Due To "Heightened Mideast Instability"
Facebook and Instagram Ban Iran's Supreme Leader
Defense Technology Showcase Held in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports rise 2.5% to $6bn in November 2023: GASTAT
Rolls-Royce Executive Encourages Saudi Women to Tap into Their Inner 'Superhero' for Success in Defense Industry
Saudi Arabia launches National Academy of Vehicles and Cars
Saudi Tourism Minister Reveals Plan for 250,000 New Hotel Rooms by 2030
SAR to more than double eastern network passenger capacity with new trains deal
Saudi Arabia Enhances National Defense with New Partnerships
Saudi Aramco Maintains Arab Light Crude Pricing to Asia for March
NEOM Establishes New York Office to Support Investors
Saudi Wealth Fund Draws in Over $25 Billion Worth of Investments in Three Years, Al-Rumayyan Reveals
The Saudi Kingdom's Ultimatum to Israel: A Win-Win Peace with Saudi Arabia and the Arab World, or a Lose-Lose Continued Occupation and Endless Conflict
Biden condemns anti-Arab hate after WSJ opinion piece calls Dearborn ‘jihad capital’
Turkey Releases Seven Hostages Captured by Pro-Gaza Gunman
Arab Parliament Commends Women's Contributions to Societal Development
British and Hungarian Foreign Ministers visited Lebanese leaders to stress the importance of enacting UN Resolution 1701
Yemen's Houthis Say They Targeted British Merchant Vessel In Red Sea
Donald Trump Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize for 'Historic' Middle East Policy
US lawmakers approve F-16 jet sale to Turkey following NATO expansion support
Saudi Arabia Climbs 25 Places in World Bank's National Statistics Indicator
Tourism Growth in Saudi Arabia Fuels Advancements in the Hospitality Industry," Says Rotana Official
Houthi Rebels Request Departure of UN Staff from Yemen, Including US and UK Personnel, within a Month
Modi Inaugurates Hindu Temple on Site of Demolished Mosque in India
Over 25,000 Deaths in Gaza Amid Israeli Offensive
Escalating Clashes in Gaza as Israel Distributes Leaflets to Assist in Locating Hostages
Turkey's First Astronaut Set to Launch for International Space Station Today
Head of Palestinian Investment Fund Warns More People May Die of Hunger Than War in Gaza
Palestinian Envoy Criticizes UK for Alleged 'Double Standards' in Policies Toward Israel
Morocco to Lead UN Human Rights Council in 2024
Is artificial intelligence the solution to cyber security threats?
Egypt has been identified as the leading military force among Arab nations and ranks 15th globally
The AI Revolution in the Workforce: CEOs at Davos Predict Major Job Cuts in 2024
Iranian Nobel Laureate Narges Mohammadi Receives Additional Prison Sentence
"Gazans Urge Israeli Forces to Target Hamas in Leaked Audio"
Biden States US and UK Airstrikes on Houthis Were a 'Defensive Action
Large Pro-Palestine Rally in London as Gaza Conflict Hits Day 100
South Africa Urges World Court to Halt Israeli Actions in Gaza
×