Conflict Incident Report

Residents from Baalbeck Tuesday burned tires and closed down a road, protesting the recent raid in Brital by the Lebanese Army, which led to the death of one of Lebanon’s most wanted drug dealers.

A security source told The Daily Star that the Army intervened shortly after the road leading into Baalbeck was closed and reopened it.

“It’s not a main road, because the Army is not allowing any roads to be closed, and they informed all locals of this decision,” the source said.

The source confirmed that late Monday night, residents of Al-Sharawneh burned tires and closed down a road before the Army arrived at the scene minutes later.

Tuesday’s protest was in Taybeh. “There weren’t many people, and they’re mostly minors because the instigators will send them to stir up trouble,” the source said.

The Army vowed Monday to crack down on outlaws in the country after units killed Ali Zaid Ismail, known as “Lebanon’s Escobar,” in a raid near the eastern town of Baalbeck. Ismail had nearly 3,000 warrants out for his arrest. He was killed along with seven others during the raid, and an additional 16 Lebanese and 25 Syrian nationals were arrested. Six of the detainees were wounded in the clashes that started after the Army units came under fire, the Army said. Weapons and drugs were also seized in the raid.