9 television extras stabbed in Beirut

Nine extras hired for an Iranian-produced television programme were stabbed and beaten by masked men during an attack on their bus in Beirut. The victims, hailing from Lebanon, Syria and Palestine came under attack on the highway near Jisr al-Wati Wednesday morning. They were on their way to be part of an audience for the filming of game show al-Ribih Bi Eidak (Winning is in Your Hand), commissioned by the Iran-based I Film channel, which recently launched in Arabic. The attackers escaped in two four-wheel drive cars towards the district of Fayat, southern Beirut. Three individuals with serious stab wounds were named as Ali Jaafar, Houfek Saber Jan and Merces Tamasian. The trio were transferred to Jebel Lubnan hospital. The Red cross treated three other extras at the scene with mild injuries. These were named as Ibrahim Ahmad, Mohamed Eissa and Abdullah Marar. Three other extras identified as Joan Khalil, Ahmed Keelawy and Abdullah al-Haddad were transferred to Mar Youssef Hospital in al-Dora. Meanwhile, an Iranian television crew denied reports that it was also subjected to a beating in the same incident, after some Iranian media outlets reported that the gunmen had opened fire on the crew in Jisr al-Wati.