Lebanese protesters throw stun grenades at soldiers, injuring 10: Army

Ten soldiers were injured when demonstrators threw stun grenades at army forces during demonstrations in the northern city of Tripoli in Lebanon, the Lebanese Armed Forces said in a statement on Sunday.

Lebanese civilians took to the streets of Tripoli over the weekend to express anger over the dire economic situation and difficult living conditions as the national currency plunged to a new record low.

A group of young men on motorcycles threw stun grenades at the soldiers, according to the army. Another group of soldiers that was stationed in the al-Nour Square to maintain security during protests were pelted with stones from demonstrations, the army said.

On Saturday, demonstartors tried to storm central bank offices in two major cities, state media reported, after the national currency plunged to a new record low on the black market.

Some protesters managed to break through the gates of a branch of the central bank and enter the courtyard, the National News Agency said on Saturday, but the army prevented them from reaching the building.

Lebanon has been struggling to deal with its economic crisis since late 2019, which has since worsened due to the effects of the coronavirus outbreak and the massive Beirut port explosion in August 2020.

The country is currently facing a shortage of fuel, medicines, and other vital products. Most Lebanese have seen their purchase power drop and more than half the population now lives below the poverty line.