Fig.1.13. Multiple akm pattern rifles one has a 75 round drum magazine.

Beirut Clashes – Weapons on the Street

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This morning in Beirut, Lebanon was far from normal as the streets turned into a warzone and clashes erupted taking the lives of many people, injuring even more and forcing hundreds of families to flee their homes. We examine the causes and look at some of the small arms seen on Beirut’s streets.

The clashes started based on political tensions which are rising in the deteriorating country, after the political parties of Hezbollah/Amal/Maradah called for a protest against the work of Tarek Bitar, the judge responsible for the investigation into the 2020 Beirut Blast, that the groups allege is being politicized. On the other hand the Lebanese Forces party disagrees with Hezbollah’s claim leading to tensions around the protest.

This morning, 14 October, at around 10:45AM, as the protesters were heading to their destination they came under fire from armed militants on rooftops killing 3 people and injuring more, the protest had an armed protection escort made up of Hezbollah/Amal militants, the escort returned fire, at which point all hell let loose in the streets and the firefight got bigger and expanded into other parts of Beirut with much confusion.

After the start of the clashes Beirut turned into a warzone between 2 frontlines exchanging fire using all types of small arms and in some cases RPG-7 rocket-propelled grenade launchers. Fire was exchanged causing a lot of material damage and the Lebanese armed forces were deployed to try to end the situation.

After hours of intense exchange of fire it now seems like the clash has calmed down with a careful ceasefire taking place. So far the casualties are 6 dead and 30 wounded according to the Lebanese Red Cross and hundreds more displaced. The Amal and Hezbollah leadership directly accused the Lebanese Forces militants of opening fire on the protest. Meanwhile Samir Geagea, the President of the Lebanese Forces, deplored the events and called for an investigation.

Below are some of small arms and light weapons we have observed on the streets during the incident via open source intelligence mean:

Here we can see the RP46, a rare and neat LMG IN 7.62X54r

Fig.1.1. Here we can see a man carrying an RP46, a comparatively rare 7.62×54Rmm chambered light machine gun 

 

Fig.1.2. A very interesting 9A91 self-loading carbine spotted partially on the left side, the 9A91 is chambered in 9×39mm, it is distinguishable by its straight magazine and over folder stock. The militant on the right is armed with an 7.62×39mm AKM- type self-loading rifle (Image via Getty)

Fig.1.3. Seen above is a 14.5×114mm KPV heavy machine gun, the militant is also holding an M4 self-loading rifle equipped with an M203 40×46mmSR grenade launcher, behind him is another militant with an RPG-7.

Fig.1.4. An interestingly customized 7.62×39mm chambered Czech vz.58 and a 7.62×39mm Type 56S-I with under folding stock.

Fig.1.5. An elderly man firing an RPG-7 rocket propelled grenade launcher, while being covered by another militant with a 7.62×39mm Type 56S, wth an additional pistol on his hip.

Fig.1.6. A customized milled receiver AK-type self-loading rifle, with what appears to be Chinese attachments. In front of him a militant with a fixed stock AKM-type self-loading rifle.

Fig.1.7. An RPK 7.62×39mm light machine gun is spotted along with multiple AKM-type self-loading rifles.

 

Fig.1.8. The only militant reported killed (the rest of the casualties are unarmed) firing an RPG-7, he was later shot dead trying to fire another grenade.

 

Fig.1.9. A Hungarian 7.62×39mm AMD-65 self-loading rifle fitted with a scope, a 40-round magazine is also spotted on the right side in someone’s hand (Image via Getty)

Fig.1.10. A fighter from the Amal movement with a short-barrelled 5.56×45mm M4 patterned self-loading carbine, with an approximately 10.5 inch barrel and its rear sight not deployed, to the right one of many 7.62×39mm AKS-74U carbines seen during the incident

Fig.1.11. A customized AKS7-4U in action (Image via Al Nahar magazine)

Fig.1.12. A 5.45×39 AK74M self-loading rifle with a GP25 under-barrel grenade launcher, next to it is a customized 7.62×39mm AKM-pattern self-loading rifle with a bad quality Chinese optic and Chinese attachments.

Fig.1.13. Multiple 7.62×39mm AKM-pattern rifles, one has a 75 round drum magazine from an RPK

 

Fig.1.14. Militants on a technical armed with a 12.7×108mm DShKM heavy machine gun, a 7.62×54Rmm PKM light machine gun and the AKM-pattern rifles are present

Fig.1.15. Lebanese Army soldiers with 5.56×45mm M4 self-loading carbines, some are fitted with Eotech reflex sight and vertical foregrips, one has an M203 under-barrel grenade launcher. There is also an M249 Squad Automatic Weapon with a bipod and Eotech reflex sight attached.

Fig.1.16. Lebanese Army M113 armoured personnel carrier armed with an 23x152mm ZSU23-2 anti-aircraft gun

Fig.1.17. Another Lebanese Army M113 fitted with steel grating to act as spaced armor against HEAT munitions like that of the RPG-7, the supporting soldiers are armed with M4 -pattern carbines

Fig.1.18. A Lebanese army soldier armed with an M4 carbine, fitted with an Eotech holographic sight and a vertical foregrip, next to him is a MK19 40mm automatic grenade launcher.

 

This piece was written by Bassel D. a Lebanon-based Silah Report researcher & contributor

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