Heavy gunfire kills 6, wounds 30

Tank deployments and deadly exchanges of fire turned Beirut into a war zone yesterday after a demonstration organised by Shia parties against the lead investigator into last year's devastating port blast turned violent.

Heavy fire rang out as ambulances rushed the wounded through the deserted streets, a few blocks from the Palace of Justice, where hundreds of black-clad protesters had gathered moments earlier to demand Tarek Bitar's removal.

The judge has in recent days been in the sights of the Hezbollah and Amal parties in particular for insisting on subpoenaing top officials in his probe into last year's deadly explosion in Beirut port.

According to Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi, at least six people were killed, all of them by gunfire. The Lebanese Red Cross put the number of wounded at 30.

Prime Minister Najib Mikati called for calm to be restored and warned against attempts to drag Lebanon into violence.

In a statement, Hezbollah and Amal accused "armed and organised groups" of assaulting their supporters. Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV blamed the Lebanese Forces -- a Christian party that is staunchly opposed to the Iran-backed group.

The Court of Cassation yesterday turned down a lawsuit filed by two ex-ministers demanding Bitar's replacement, a court official told AFP on the condition of anonymity.

It is the second time this month that the judiciary has ruled in favour of the judge, who is hailed by human rights groups and relatives of blast victims as a symbol of judicial independence in a country where political impunity has long been the norm. The ruling, which goes into effect immediately, would allow Bitar to resume enquiries into the August 4, 2020 explosion which killed more than 200 people and destroyed large swathes of the capital.