Homes in east Belfast’s Short Strand area have been attacked by a large group of masked men, Sinn Fein has said.
Lord Mayor of Belfast Niall O Donnghaile, a Sinn Fein councillor for the area, was at the scene.
He told the BBC that 60-100 masked men fully dressed in camouflage gear have been attacking homes.
The attacks were carried out at the Mountpottinger Road and the lower Newtownards Road, Mr O Donnghaile said.
Police are at the scene and community and youth workers have been trying to defuse the situation.
“It’s a tense and dangerous situation,” Mr O Donnghaile said.
“They’ve hit homes with paint bombs, pipe bombs and petrol bombs.
“A pipe bomb-type device has gone off. There’s a number of Short Strand residents who are injured and a number of homes have been damaged.”
Police have confirmed that a large number of people had gathered in Bryson Street and that petrol bombs have been thrown.
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