A Lebanese soldier was killed during a gunfight Tuesday between Hizbullah supporters and pro-government loyalists, security officials said. The victim, Hussein Mohammed Janadin, was caught in the crossfire as Hizbullah supporters opened fire on two pro-government loyalists taking shelter at a military post in the village of Aramoun, south of Beirut, the officials said, according to Reuters.
Janadin died on the way to the hospital, and two other men suffered fractures when Hizbullah supporters beat them with sticks, the officials added. Tuesday's incident occurred a day after nine people were hurt, two seriously, in a similar gunfight in Beirut between supporters of Hizbullah and pro-government loyalists.
The army said it deployed troops to the area of Tuesday's shooting and arrested people suspected of involvement in the gunfight.
Also Tuesday, the Interior Ministry issued a ban in Beirut on the use of motorbikes, car parades, political party flags and provocative slogans. The measures all went into effect at 6 p.m. (1500 GMT) local time and were an attempt to prevent a resurgence of sectarian violence.
Monday night's shooting erupted as Hizbullah followers rode motorbikes in a Sunni area, waving flags and saluting Hizbullah chief Hassan Nasrallah. Hizbullah and fellow Shiite group Amal renewed their call Tuesday for supporters to stop celebratory gunfire and car and motorbike parades near Sunni areas to avoid renewed sectarian violence.
