At least 15 people were injured Saturday in a clash between supporters of Lebanon’s rival Islamic Shiite movements Hizbullah and Amal, on the eve of a major religious holiday, police said.
The confrontation erupted when two separate parades of Amal and Hizbullah followers crossed at the central square of Lebanon’s southern city of Nabatiyeh, where the city's Ashura commemoration will be held on Sunday, they said.
On Ashura, Shiites mourn the death of Hussein, the grandson of the Islamic prophet Mohammed.
Hussein was betrayed by allies and killed at the battle of Kerbala in 670 AD, in what is now modern day Iraq. Shiites revere Hussein's family line as the true leadership of Islam.
Every year, in Lebanon, parades frequently turn into demonstrations of strength between the rival Shiite movements Hizbullah and Amal.
The Lebanese army interfered to separate the two sides and fired warning shots into the air, AFP reported. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
