Military Court sentences 36 in Khaldeh clashes, efforts for reconciliation continue

The tribes of Khaldeh, a town in the suburbs of Beirut, have recently called for addressing the consequences of the Military Court's ruling against their sons, who were involved in clashes with Hezbollah almost 20 months ago, known as the Khaldeh clashes.

The verdict, issued before the Eid Al-Fitr, involved 36 of Khaldeh's tribespeople, nine of whom were sentenced to death and life imprisonment in absentia, and one detainee received a ten-year sentence. Meanwhile, five were sentenced to nine years, and the rest were given prison terms ranging from seven to one and a half years. Additionally, eleven were acquitted of charges.

However, security sources confirmed to LBCI that the Army Intelligence sought since the outset of the Khaldeh clashes to alleviate tensions.

Additionally, it managed approximately 13 meetings between the tribes and Hezbollah, with some MPs occasionally attending, to overcome significant obstacles. The Army Intelligence emphasized the importance of expediting the verdicts without interfering with the penalties and prison terms that will be issued, as they are judicial affairs.

The same sources noted that many defendants were acquitted, and the detention period sufficed. As for the death and life imprisonment sentences in absentia and imprisonment terms ranging from ten to nine years, they can be distinguished before the Military Court to try to mitigate the judgments.

Moreover, the Army Intelligence Directorate continues its efforts to complete reconciliation and settlement and prevent a return to tension.