5 killed in clashes in Beirut: Report

Beirut, Aug 2 (IANS) Five people were killed and over 10 others were wounded on Sunday in an armed clash between supporters of Hezbollah and a rival faction in Khaldeh at the southern entrance of Beirut, al-Jadeed local TV channel reported.The armed clashes erupted after the funeral of Ali Chebli, a Hezbollah supporter who was killed during a wedding in the area on Saturday night. Saturday's killing was committed by the brother of a teenager who was killed in a clash last year, allegedly by Chebli, according to the report.Contacts among Lebanese authorities are underway to reduce tensions in Khaldeh while the Lebanese army units were deployed in the area, the Xinhua news agency reported.Meanwhile, the Lebanese Red Cross has been calling for a ceasefire so that the injured people can be sent to hospitals.
--IANS int/rs