The Lebanese army contained on Sunday sectarian tensions between Christian and Muslim areas in northern Lebanon in wake of shooting over a water and farming dispute.
Haitham Tawk was shot dead on Saturday in the Qornet al-Sawda region that is located between the predominantly Christian city of Bsharri and predominantly Muslim city of Bekaa Safrine. The area is usually at the heart of farming and water disputes between the two cities.
In a statement, the army said one person was shot dead in Qornet al-Sawda. Another, Malek Tawk, was shot some time later. The military then deployed in the area to investigate the incident. It arrested a number of people and seized weapons.
The army had set up a training base in Qornet al-Sawda.
It reiterated a warning it had issued on June 12, advising people against approaching the base for their safety.
Qornet al-Sawda is Lebanon’s highest area and is practically uninhabited. It lies between predominantly Christian and Muslim regions and witnesses agricultural activity in the summer by farmers from Bsharri and Bekaa Safrine.
Security sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that disputes over irrigation and water to feed livestock often erupt in the area.
A water dispute had erupted in June when cattle were shot dead, forcing the army to intervene. It then set up its training base there in order to deter such armed disputes from happening.
The tensions escalated on Saturday with the killing of Haitham Tawk, added the sources.
They declined to confirm whether he was shot by sniper fire, as claimed by local media, saying a probe will reveal the details of the incident.
The situation escalated further between the two sides, leading to a clash, and forcing the army to intervene.
MP Setrida Geagea of Bsharri and army commander Joseph Aoun held telephone talks to address the situation. More military reinforcements were brought in to contain the tensions.
Another shooting was reported in which Malek Tawk was killed. The shooter remains unknown and a probe is ongoing.
The sources revealed that 13 people from the al-Dinnieh region and six from Bsharri were arrested.
They stressed that the army helped “avert sectarian strife.”
The army commander is determined to prevent strife, they added.
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati telephoned Geagea to say that he would personally oversee the probe and ensure that justice prevails.
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri contacted MP Faisal Karami, urging him to wisely handle the situation.
He called on the residents of Bekaa Safrine and al-Dinnieh to exercise restraint, ignore rumors and wait for the probe to release its findings.
Head of the Lebanese Forces Samir Geagea received on Saturday telephone calls from Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian and a number of lawmakers, who expressed their strong condemnation of the incident.
They offered their condolences to the families of the victims and the people of Bsharri.
They stressed the need for the investigation to swiftly uncover the criminals so that justice can take its course as soon as possible.
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi said: “We are relying on the army to impose security and the people of Bsharri to show restraint.”
(Asharq Al-Awsat)
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