
Beirut armed clashes rattle distressed residents
Al Jazeera
After hours-long battles in Lebanese capital, residents struggle to cope with compounded trauma.
Beirut, Lebanon – Jumanah Zabaneh was at home on Thursday morning when hundreds of Hezbollah and Amal supporters gathered in her Beirut neighbourhood. The crowd was there to protest against the judge leading an investigation into last year’s deadly explosion at the Lebanese capital’s port.
Her two daughters, aged eight and six, were already at school a few blocks away from the protests at the Beirut Justice Palace, while her husband, Adnan, was also nearby at work in Tayyoune.
Zabaneh had earlier walked her children to school, as she always did. It was just 15 minutes away by foot. She was worried that the protests would be tense, but never expected what would follow.