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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Lebanon sends troops after residents clash in Tripoli |
| 2011-06-19 |
| BEIRUT: Lebanon’s army clamped down on two sectarian districts of a northern city on Saturday after a rally in support of anti-government protesters in Syria triggered deadly clashes between rival gunmen. Troops manned checkpoints and searched cars and houses in Tripoli’s Bab Al-Tebbaneh neighborhood, a Sunni Muslim stronghold, and Jabal Mohsen neighborhood, whose residents hail from the same Alawite sect as Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad. The communities’ long-running feud erupted into violence on Friday after dozens of people took to Tripoli’s Nour Square to show support for a three-month-old Syrian revolt that has drawn bloody crackdowns by Assad’s government. Security sources said between four and seven people, among them a boy and a soldier, were killed as street fighters attacked each other with assault rifles and grenades. At least 48 people were wounded. In a statement, the army said it had “returned the situation to normal” and was enforcing a ban on residents carrying guns. Since last month, northern Lebanon has seen an influx of Syrians fleeing an assault by Assad’s forces on the border village of Tel Kelakh. |
| Posted by:Steve White |