You are here

Conflict Incident Report

Gunmen claiming to be from Hezbollah robbed, then set free 4 Trend officials in Iaat

Date of incident: 
July 6, 2014
Actors/Parties Involved: 
Hezbollah
Future Current

In a statement by Future Trend Media Coordination Section on Sunday evening, it indicated that gunmen claiming to be part of Hezbollah kidnapped and robbed 4 Trend member officials in the town of Iaat in Baalbek.

In details of the incident, the statement indicated that as the Future Trend Resources and Services Director, Ibrahim Jarkass, accompanied by Logistics Head, Bassem Badran, and Maintenance Official, Fadi Khodari, and his assistant, Haitham Tanir, were on their way back from a breakfast banquet around half past four in the afternoon in the town of Ersal, they were intercepted by 3 armed men at Iaat crossroads, who were driving a green "Cherokee" Jeep model 2011, carrying wireless devices. The gunmen questioned them about their destination, demanded their identification papers and then drove their car. The gunmen later stopped the vehicle and began interrogating the Trend officials over their identities and the reason for being in Ersal, claiming that they were from Hezbollah. They then robbed the 4 Trend officials of their money, a computer laptop and the vehicle they were riding and drove away, leaving them in Haush Barada Plain, added the statement.

The 4 Future Current members then walked to a nearby church in the neighborhood and contacted security forces who arrived immediately to their aid, the statement concluded.

http://www.nna-leb.gov.lb/en/show-news/29431/

Primary category: 
Hostage Taking Situation [inc. attempt, release]
Secondary Category: 
Robbery/Trespassing
Classification of conflict (primary): 
Individual acts of violence
Violent incidents which do not have a specific or a known political agenda but are caused by the general proliferation of weapons, of trained and untrained soldiers or militants, by the general inefficiency of the Justice system, and past-traditions and histories of violence within society.
Classification of conflict(secondary):
Power & governance conflicts
Violent or non-violent conflicts associated with antagonisms related to internal political tensions between local and/or national groups and parties. These tensions may be encouraged by internal, regional and international parties. Such conflicts are characterized by their defiance and/or opposition to central State power and governance.