Friday, May 09, 2008

Hezbollah Takes Beirut

(Hat-tip to Michael)

Blurb from this May 9, 2008 news article:
Gunmen loyal to Nasrallah take control of Muslim part of Lebanese capital, seize outlets owned by governing coalition leader Hariri; Lebanese troops begin taking up positions in some Sunni neighborhoods. Saudi Arabia, calls for emergency meeting of Arab foreign ministers over crisis
Read the entire article here.

Reuters also reports here, in "Hezbollah routs pro-government gunmen; controls Beirut."

Not a word about the above on the morning news?

Update from this source:
- The highway to Tripoli (Tarablous) has been closed. (not sure by which side)

- Death toll in the past 72 hours: 13 dead / +45 injured

- Sporadic gunfire ongoing in Koreitem. Mini markets in Hamra have opened shop for the locals stuck in the area.

- Reports indicate Saniora & Hariri are still in Beirut.

- The government vs opposition fight has moved to the South and North of Lebanon. Akkar [Minieh & Miniara] is a flashpoint, with Hariri's Future Movement militias setting up roadblocks and firing automatic weapons. Tyre (Sour) is also seeing some activity.

- Pro-government media outlets admit defeat of pro-government militias [by opposition militias] in Beirut.

- Italy has just opened up a hotline for its citizens in Beirut. (don't know the number)

- Aoun has just gone on TV to say that the fighting is over, the opposition has won, and the tomorrow all life will be back to normal in Beirut, with a greater sense of safety as the militias have either disbanded or fled, with militia offices and weapons now controlled by the Lebanese Army.

- MEA has cancelled all flights for another 24 hours.

1 comment:

Michael Travis said...

I have been anxiously monitoring Al Manar and Al Jazeera television for the last three days. Lebanon is poised to explode once again, courtesy of the Hezbullah and their Iranian puppet-masters.

The Legitimate Lebanese government has closed down the Hezbullah's private communications network, an act that Hizbullah Chief Hassan Nasrallah promptly described as a "declaration of war". So far, the Lebanese government has held fast in the face of a barrage of threats from the Iranian-backed terror organisation. The Whitehouse however, is sending mixed signals. Apparently intoxicated by B'Hussein.O's successful rhetoric, Lebanon's erstwhile "allies" in Washington are still "hopeful" that Hezbullah can change it's blood-soaked spots and start behaving as a legitimate political party.

The current crisis in Lebanon has the potential to spark another regional war, or, with Western support it may present an opportunity for Lebanon to free itself from foreign (Iranian) domination and the barbarism that Islam has unjustly imposed upon this historically Christian nation.