Soldiers, protesters clash in lockdown Lebanon

Hundreds of protesters clashed with soldiers in Tripoli on Tuesday, as they demonstrated against worsening economic conditions amid a nationwide lockdown.

Emily Wither reports.

In Lebanon the people are increasingly angry, hungry, and desperate.

This is the city of Tripoli in the north of the country; a country where people have been ordered to stay indoors amid the strictest lockdown since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Hundreds of protesters ran street battles with soldiers in tanks; demonstrators demanding help to stay at home.

"I am standing with the people here, the poor and hungry people, people who can't find something to eat." Many say lockdown is increasing their poverty.

Lebanon, like most countries, is juggling the need to save lives alongside the need to save livelihoods, but the crisis is particularly acute here.

The pandemic comes on top of a financial collapse and a huge port blast in August that had already brought the health system to its knees.

Lebanon registered three and a half thousand new COVID-19 infections on Tuesday, with almost 2,500 deaths recorded in a country of around 6 million people.