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Seven protesters die in clash with Lebanese troops

  • Story Highlights
  • Seven protesters killed Sunday protesting the rationing of electricity
  • Opposition group leading protest says Lebanese army fired, struck protester
  • Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation quoting group blames sniper
  • LBC said the sniper was not a member of the Lebanese army
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BEIRUT, Lebanon (CNN) -- The death toll from protests in Beirut's southern suburbs has risen to seven, the Lebanese Internal Security Forces said Monday. Twenty-eight others were wounded while protesting power shortages Sunday, officials said.

The army sources gave no details on how the protesters died but said the "situation" is "gradually coming under control." An investigation has begun into the riots and deaths.

Lebanese troops fired their guns into the air to disperse protesters in the suburb of Shiah, and one of the bullets struck Ahmed Hamzah, who later died in a hospital, a spokesman for the opposition movement Amal told CNN.

But the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation -- quoting the Amal movement -- said a sniper fatally shot the protester while he was trying to help the army resolve the violent protests. LBC said the sniper was not a member of the Lebanese army. Video Watch fires burn on tense streets »

Amal had no immediate details on the other reported deaths.

Amal, a mostly Shia Muslim political party, is headed by Lebanon's parliament speaker, Nabih Berri.

A Lebanese lawmaker from the Hezbollah party called for an investigation into the killings but also urged protesters to return home.

"We are working with Amal movement and the Lebanese army in order to stop the demonstrators from burning tires and blocking roads," parliamentary member Hassan Fadlallah told Lebanon's New TV.

He told protesters, "Your message was received, even though the government has deaf ears and will not listen to your demands.

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"But we urge you to leave the streets."

Sunday's clashes were confined to mostly Shiite areas. E-mail to a friend E-mail to a friend

CNN's Nada El-Husseini in Beirut contributed to this report.

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