FO advises against all but essential travel to Lebanon
The Foreign Office is advising against all but essential travel to the whole of Lebanon after gunfire and violence broke out across the country at the weekend.
The advice was updated after clashes erupted across Lebanon following the funeral of security chief Wissam al-Hassan who was killed by a car bomb on Friday along with one of his bodyguards and others.
Protesters tried to storm government offices in Beirut after a new call for Prime Minister Najib Mikati to resign. Police fired warning shots and tear gas.
Opposition figures have blamed neighbouring Syria for the car bomb attack.
Foreign Office advice has also warned British nationals in Beirut to exercise extreme caution and stay indoors.
It said: "On 19 October 2012 a car bomb exploded in the Achrafieh district of Beirut resulting in eight fatalities and a large number of casualties.
"Numerous roads throughout Lebanon, including the airport highway, are currently subject to closure with groups of protesters burning tyres.
"There have also been reports of gunfire and sporadic violence breaking out across the country and there is potential for an upsurge in violence."
Only last week the Lebanese minister of tourism, Fady Abboud was threatening legal action against American TV series Homeland for ‘misrepresenting’ Beirut as a city full of terrorists, see previous story.
The country has invested large amounts of money in reviving the city’s reputation as the Paris of the Middle East.
Diane
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