Anger in southern Beirut over increased thefts and deaths

The absence of protection in Beirut’s southern suburbs has led to a rising number of complaints and outcries from locals, with armed robberies taking place in broad daylight also on the rise.

A security source related “the bad security situation in Beirut’s southern suburbs to the development of the economic crisis.”

However, the insider informed journalists that the fundamental motivation for these crimes was the loss of the state’s prestige.

A security source stated there were armed robberies of motorbikes every day after bandits previously used to take them at night.

Saleh stated he was headed to work in Haret Hreik and had parked his motorcycle on the side of the road owing to heavy traffic. Someone pointed a knife at him, forcing him to vacate his vehicle, before departing the area.

Thieves and gunmen have gotten braver in carrying out their violent activities without any care for security or party leaders in Beirut’s southern suburbs, which are a Hezbollah stronghold and hubs for the Amal Movement.

The areas have had security checks since the 2014 strikes by Daesh suicide bombers.

People hear armed confrontations every night without knowing the causes or the identity of the gunmen. They only know what happens via unfounded information spreading on social media.

Reports from the Internal Security Forces stated that, following each raid by thieves or shooters in these suburbs, most criminals were “wanted with some of them committing their crime because of trafficking or using drugs.”

According to unofficial data, the region is home to more than a million Lebanese residents. Some relocated from the countryside to the capital in the second part of the 20th century.

Some are citizens of places included in Beirut’s southern suburbs, while others migrated there owing to flats having cheaper rentals than in the city.

Hayy Al-Sullom is one of the poorest areas and is home to the marginalized and wanted persons who use political parties for safety.

But having influence also extends to the owners of energy generators, internet providers, and owners of cable television. In March, violent conflicts between two factions took place in Bi’r al-Abed owing to one encroaching on the other’s areas of influence.

Two weeks before, there were conflicts in Laylaki at night owing to disputes between power generator owners over clientele. A month before, there were armed battles between internet providers in Choueifat.

In the past several days, the drawing and shooting of weapons have grown easier. A brawl broke out between two parties during a suhoor lunch and shisha.

Hezbollah and the Amal Movement, concerned by public complaints ahead of upcoming elections, issued a joint statement recently about the increase of thefts, armed robberies, and breaches of security in different areas of Beirut’s southern suburbs to the “extent of spiraling out of control and posing a threat to life and safety.”

They requested officials from security and military agencies to “strictly deal all persons breaking security,” emphasising that they would not protect anyone implicated.

The security source stressed: “Official security agencies are present in the southern suburbs, following the wanted persons and, in certain situations, Hezbollah assists our job and could direct us to the hiding spot of a wanted person. While in some situations, we do not warn Hezbollah that we would attack a certain spot in the southern suburbs.”

Political agreements have given Hezbollah’s security committees the ultimate word in the southern suburbs in all security-related concerns.

On if this indicated that Hezbollah was safeguarding wanted persons while it knew their hiding spots, the insider said: “Those bandits have reached a level of recklessness. They no longer fear Hezbollah.”

“Those criminals do not read or respond to statements,” the source stated, when questioned about the night-time shootings and daytime thefts despite Hezbollah and the Amal Movement’s commitment to cease covering for anybody involved.

Zeinab, who lives in Al-Mureijah near Hayy Al-Sullom, said she feared her children would be dangerous if they chose to leave the house at night and return back late.

She stated machine guns – and even rockets – were used during fights that erupted over petty reasons occasionally.

Two weeks ago, two armed robberies took place in the afternoon. The first was in a business for money transfers. Two individuals on a motorbike stormed into the store and grabbed $8,000 from a client before departing. It was discovered they had been previously observing him.

Another shooter entered a smartphone store during the day and snatched a client’s pocketbook, then shot the shop’s owner for trying to stop him, hurting his hand.