A dispute in a northern Matn town turned deadly early Monday when gunfire left one man dead and two others injured, one critically.
An altercation broke out before dawn on Monday in the central square of Qartaba, a town in Jbeil district. The dispute escalated into a brawl and then gunfire, leaving one young man dead from his wounds and two others injured. Both wounded men were taken to Lady Martin hospital, with one in critical condition and the other in stable condition.
The shooter was identified as Tony Cherfan, who belongs to the security detail of Samir Geagea, leader of the Lebanese Forces party, in Maarab. Eyewitnesses said the altercation developed into a fight before Cherfan opened fire. A young man identified by initials as J.A. was killed from his injuries. The two wounded men are identified as S.K. and K.M.
The incident marks another outbreak of armed violence in Lebanon's fractured political landscape, where armed groups loyal to competing parties maintain security forces that exist outside state control. The Lebanese Forces, one of the country's major Christian militias, maintain armed personnel in areas of their stronghold in the northern mountains. Security incidents involving party-affiliated gunmen have recurred throughout the country's political crisis.
No statement has been issued by the Lebanese Forces or by Geagea's office regarding the shooting. The military and security forces have not announced any investigation or arrests related to the incident. It remains unclear what triggered the initial dispute or what circumstances led to the escalation to gunfire.
The incident occurred as Lebanon continues to grapple with a broader breakdown in state security, with armed groups operating under party banners rather than unified command. Previous shootings involving party security personnel have drawn minimal official response, reflecting the parallel systems of armed authority that persist across the country.
Qartaba lies in an area historically associated with the Lebanese Forces party and its predecessor militia. The town sits in Jbeil district, north of Beirut, in a region where the party maintains significant influence and armed presence. Similar incidents in party-controlled areas have rarely resulted in prosecutions or public accountability.
The two injured men's conditions represent the immediate medical priority in the aftermath of the shooting. One remains in critical condition at Lady Martin hospital, while doctors assess whether either man will face long-term effects from gunshot wounds. Hospital officials have not released additional details about the nature or severity of the injuries.
The identities of the dead and wounded men were released only in initials, a common practice in Lebanese media coverage that protects privacy while reporting on violent incidents. The source of the initial dispute remains undisclosed, and no witnesses have given public statements explaining what sparked the early-morning altercation in the town square.
How authorities will proceed remains uncertain. The military has not announced whether it will open a formal investigation, and the prosecutor's office has not issued any statement. Past shootings involving party-affiliated gunmen have typically gone unresolved, with security forces rarely intervening in incidents between different communities or party strongholds.
