2 Wounded in Security Mishap between Mustaqbal, Saad's Men in Sidon

Security forces early Friday restored calm to the southern city of Sidon soon after a midnight mishap between Ossama Saad's bodyguard and Mustaqbal Movement supporters left two people wounded.

A statement by Saad's Popular Nasserite Organization (PNO) said an armed Mustaqbal Movement "gang" ambushed one of the group's cars, a Lada, carrying Saad's daughter, Manar, and a bodyguard, who "miraculously survived."

Meanwhile, another Mustaqbal Movement group, opened up heavy gunfire on the houses of PNO partisans in Dar al-Mir neighborhood in the old district of Sidon, the statement added.

The daily An Nahar on Friday, citing PNO sources, said Saad's car had just passed by Quds Square shortly before midnight when a Mustaqbal vehicle intercepted it, breaking the windshield.

This, according to the sources, prompted the bodyguard/driver to shoot at the assailants, wounding two men identified as brothers Bilal and Akram Hankir. They were taken to Sidon's Hammoud Hospital.

Mustaqbal Movement sources, however, said the incident erupted when Saad's driver shot at the Hankir brothers, provoking interference by friends who rushed to Quds Square, breaking the car's windows.

The mishap quickly developed and dozens of Sidon residents took to the streets, many gathering outside Saad's mansion, to express their anger.

Lebanese army and police dispatched forces to restore order to the city, setting up checkpoints and running patrols.

Saad stressed that Sidon's security was a "redline." He urged fellow citizens to exercise calm and avoid being driven to civil strife.