Lebanon: One person killed following Bekaa valley shooting

One person has been killed during shooting that took place close to a mosque in Lebanon's Bekaa valley on Friday afternoon.

Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA) said the army has been deployed following reports of the shooting and are investigating the matter further. 

Local media reports state that several people have been injured in the shooting, which took place in the Bar Elias area. 

A security source said that preliminary information indicates that the shooting was sparked by a personal dispute. 

Ambulances have arrived in the area while the army has cordoned off the site as investigations continue. 

The NNA said the shooter was wounded during the arrest by the army.

Local media reports stated that a security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the man killed and those injured were all Syrian citizens. The town is home to many Syrian refugees. 

Lebanon is home to around 1.5 million Syrian refugees, making it one of the countries with the largest number of refugees per capita and per square kilometre in the world. 

Rising gun violence in Lebanon 

Recent reports state that the informal weapons market in Lebanon has been "flourishing".

An increasingly difficult economic situation, which has contributed to a rise in crime and disputes, has also fuelled the rise in activity in the market. 

According to Unicef, children and teenagers in Lebanon often find themselves exposed to gun violence, both in their homes and neighbourhoods. 

In the first five months of 2021, five children under the age of 12 were killed or injured during armed clashes, personal disputes or incidents involving celebratory gunfire.