One dead, multiple wounded as armed clashes erupt in Beirut

Multiple casualties were reported, including at least one dead and eight wounded after gunshots were heard on Thursday in the vicinity of a protest against the Beirut port blast investigator.

Protestors were fired at on their way to a demonstration called for by the Shiite duo of Hezbollah and Amal Movement, Hezbollah’s Al Manar TV said.

The demonstration was scheduled to take place in front of the Justice Palace in the capital of Beirut.

Al Jadeed TV reported a sniper on a rooftop taking aim at protestors in the Tayouneh area of Beirut where the unidentified man was killed – but no further details were given.

A heavy military presence was reported in the immediate aftermath of the shooting.

Hezbollah and Amal called for the protest in an attempt to silence Judge Tarek Bitar who issued an arrest warrant against former Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil, a member of Amal.

The duo accuses Bitar of bias and singling out politicians for questioning, most of them allied with Hezbollah.