Residents of Abra call for a final solution to pro-Assir sit-ins

         
Residents of Abra held a meeting on Saturday at the former security complex of Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir whereby they tackled the recent developments taking place in the region, calling for a "final" solution to the sit-ins staged by supporters of Sheikh Assir.         

This as residents of Abra started to sign a petition to be referred to caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel, calling on him to prevent the supporters of Sheikh Assir from blocking roads in the region during Friday prayers.             

Fighting in Sidon city began Sunday (23 June) after troops arrested a follower of hardline Sunni cleric Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir follower.            

The army says the cleric's supporters opened fire without provocation on an army checkpoint.Official reports said at least 17 soldiers were killed and 50 were wounded in the fighting while more than 20 of al-Assir's supporters died in the battle, according to a security official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to talk to reporters.               
Al-Assir is a virulent critic of the powerful Shiite group Hezbollah group, which along with its allies dominates Lebanon's government. He supports rebels fighting to oust Syria's President Bashar Assad.