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Dubai: A Lebanese officer died after a military helicopter was fired upon during a training flight over a Hezbollah stronghold in Southern Lebanon yesterday.
“I think either the pilot entered a new sensitive area that he was not supposed to fly over, or the shooting was a result of a lack of coordination,” retired Army Brigadier General Elias Hanna told Gulf News yesterday. The incident, which seemed unintentional, has grave consequences, the military lecturer added. “I don’t think army helicopters will fly over that area or any other area under the control of Hezbollah for a long time,” Hanna said.
The Lebanese army issued a statement saying it is still investigating the shooting incident from “armed elements”.
The accident forced the chopper down in Iqlim Al Tuffah province — a predominately Shiite area considered a Hezbollah stronghold.
It is widely believed that the group has bases and positions there. “The incident is a very dangerous one,” one Lebanese analyst said. “I think it uncovered one of the most important positions of Hezbollah in the area,” the analyst, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Gulf News. “It showed that Hezbollah has anti-aircraft weapons, which Israel has said the Lebanese group has.”
There was no immediate comment from Hezbollah.
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