The Lebanese Army said Sunday that 25 soldiers were injured the previous night during violence that broke out following confrontations and protests held in the capital, Beirut.
In a communique issued by the general command, it said its units arrested four foreigners, a Syrian, a Palestinian and two Sudanese, for involvement in riots on Saturday night.
"As the deployed Army units were carrying out their duties in maintaining security, opening roads that were blocked by protesters, and preventing infringement on public and private property,” they were attacked with stones and explosives, resulting in the injury of 25 troops, one of them with a serious eye injury, said the communique.
Saturday's violence "could have dragged the country into a dangerous slope, as what happened almost destroyed national unity, tore civil peace and nurtured division."
It also made clear that “no further security breaches or instability would be tolerated.”
"The security of the people and country is above any other consideration,” it added.
On Saturday night, clashes broke out between some anti-government protesters and Hezbollah followers.
The protesters raised slogans demanding social and economic reforms and the implementation of international resolutions on illegitimate arms.
The clashes erupted when followers of Hezbollah and the Amal Movement tried to advance from Khandaa al-Ghami area towards downtown Beirut, where the protesters were gathering.
Tension then stretched to areas of Ain al-Rimmaneh and Shiyah, where the Army intervened to restore calm.
However, the Army’s rapid security controls were not well imposed in other areas, particularly after tension between residents in Tareeq al-Jdideh and Corniche al-Mazraa from one side and Barbour from another.
The clashes reached an unprecedented level as both sides used arms to shoot sporadically in the streets of Beirut.
