Conflict Incident Report

Local media reported that a seven-year-old child is in critical condition after being hit by a stray bullet fired in celebration of official grade 12 exams results that were announced earlier in the day.

Lebanon’s LBCI television station reported that a seven-year-old boy, named Mehieddine al-Kurdi, was in critical condition after a bullet struck him in the head as he stood outside his grandparent's home in Naameh, south of Beirut.

Al-Jadeed television station reported that there was celebratory gunfire across the Bekaa and Baalbeck in east Lebanon, as well as in Ain al-Hilweh in south Lebanon, and Beddawi in the north.

No other injuries or deaths have so far been reported.

Interior Minister Nouhad Machnouk headed a Central Security Council meeting in April where the officials urged the judiciary to issue firm sentences against suspects linked to random gunfire.

In June, Machnouk met with President Michel Aoun after which the interior minister said the two discussed cracking down on violators of the law. He said there had been following up on the security situation in east Lebanon’s Baalbeck and the Bekaa.

South Lebanon Gov. Mansour Daou Wednesday issued a statement prohibiting celebratory gunfire and legal fireworks over the announcement of Grade 12 exam results Saturday.

Despite these attempts to quell celebratory gunfire, it still persists.

In late June, an 88-year-old man in Baalbeck was killed by celebratory gunfire following the announcement of the official grade 9 (Brevet) results.