Today, Guerrilla

Beirut è tornata a infiammarsi oggi dopo che una manifestazione di protesta contro le continue interruzioni nell'erogazione dell'energia elettrica è degenerata in scontri tra l'esercito e i dimostranti. Sono al momento almeno tre i dimostranti uccisi e una ventina i feriti.
Dal quartiere di Shiyah, a maggioranza sciita, gli scontri si sono estesi in serata a numerose altre zone della periferia sud di Beirut (Al Rihab, Qafaat, Mar Elias), dove gruppi di dimostranti hanno attuato blocchi stradali e dato alle fiamme cataste di pneumatici, interrompendo la circolazione anche lungo la strada per l'aeroporto internazionale della capitale libanese. A nome di Amal, il movimento guidato dal presidente del Parlamento e leader sciita d'opposizione Nabih Berri, il deputato Ali Hassan Khalil ha lanciato un appello ai dimostranti perchè sgomberino le strade e lascino mano libera all'esercito.
Secondo Otv, l'emittente televisiva della Corrente patriottica libera (Cpl) guidata dal leader cristiano d'opposizione Michel Aoun, quattro dimostranti sono stati uccisi. Negli scontri tra soldati e manifestanti scoppiati questo pomeriggio alla periferia sud di Beirut nel quartiere di Shiyah, a maggioranza sciita, è stato ucciso anche un militante del movimento Amal, Ahmad Hamza (35 anni). Amal ha fatto appello ai suoi seguaci a interrompere le proteste scoppiate dopo la morte del militante. L'esercito dice di aver sparato solo in alto, e non è ancora chiaro che abbia ucciso l'uomo.

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Riots Renew in Beirut with Protestors Tossing Stones at Troops, One Amal Official Killed
The crackle of gunfire was heard over Beirut Sunday after violent demonstrators -- protesting power cuts -- tossed stones at heavily armed Lebanese soldiers and blocked main roads with blazing tires and burning garbage bins. Security sources said one Amal movement official was killed and several people were wounded. The official was identified as Ahmad Hamza, Amal's representative in the Hay Moawwad quarter of Shiyah, where protests first broke out around 4 pm. "Hamza has passed away after being shot in the back," an Amal official told AFP, adding that he was unable to identify the source of the fire.
"Amal will not be dragged into any provocation," he said.
A security official and witnesses told AFP that gunmen opened fire on Lebanese troops in the southern suburbs of Beirut where demonstrators had blocked roads with burning tires to protest against power cuts in that area.
But as night fell, riots spread to reach the airport highway, where demonstrators cut the main road with burning tires. Soon afterwards protestors cut the coastal highway between Sidon and Tyre with blazing tires.
The road to Baalbek in east Lebanon's Bekaa valley was also briefly closed.
Witnesses said gunfire rang out sporadically across the southern suburbs, although the source of the firing could not be determined.
The Amal official told AFP that Hamza was not among the protesters.
"Hamza was not a demonstrator. He cooperated with the army on a regular basis whenever there were such similar protests in the region," he said. "The protests were initially spontaneous."
According to the security official, the shooting occurred after demonstrators set ablaze tires, blocking a main road linking the Shiyah and Mar Mikhael neighborhoods in the southern suburbs to protest power shortages.
The army fired warning shots to disperse the demonstrators, the official said.
Demonstrators carried sticks and metal bars and witnesses said some gunmen in the crowd opened fire at the security forces who responded by firing at them.
Troops were seen taking positions on rooftops, one witness told AFP.
Dozens of demonstrators were on the streets between the neighborhoods of Shiyah and Mar Mikhael and some protesters were also emerging on the streets further south, witnesses said.
Demonstrators have faced off with security forces on several occasions in the past few days over the power cuts.