BEIRUT 

Turkey’s envoy to Beirut met Friday with the Lebanese prime minister in Beirut to discuss the repercussions of ongoing demonstrations in the north of the country. 

Cakil said Turkey is ready to help repair Tripoli’s town hall which was set on fire during protests in the region and to provide assistance to poor families in the city, the prime ministry said of the meeting between Hassan Diab and Hakan Cakil at the Government Palace.

The Turkish ambassador told Anadolu Agency that during the meeting, he expressed regret about actions against the municipality and other public buildings in Tripoli.

Cakil said Turkey is willing to cooperate with the government to ease the economic problems of residents in Tripoli.

The Mediterranean city has witnessed days of protests with reports of clashes with security forces after a coronavirus lockdown was imposed.

The most violent clash occurred late Thursday when the city center and the governorate building were torched by angry protesters.

Clashes resulted in the death of Omar Taiba, 30, who was shot in the back, according to health authorities. ​​​​​​​

Political unrest

Political powers traded barbs about responsibility for escalating demonstrations in Tripoli.

Caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab said Wednesday that "the government is not formed or disrupted by burning tires, blocking roads, attacking state institutions and targeting internal security forces and the Lebanese army."

Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri tweeted: "There may be parties behind the moves in Tripoli that want to send political messages, and there may be those who take advantage of the people's pain and the living distress that the poor suffer."

While a stalemate continues, differences still exist between Hariri and President Michel Aoun regarding the formation of the government.

Due to differences between political forces, Lebanon has not yet been able to form a new government since Diab's government resigned six days after a catastrophic explosion in the port of the Beirut last August that killed more than 200 people.