Clashes Renew, Army Deploys after 4 Die in Rival Tripoli Districts Fighting
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Four people, including a Lebanese soldier, were killed and at least 25 injured on Sunday in a gunfight between the residents of rival neighborhoods in the northern port city of Tripoli as the area witnessed intermittent clashes, the army and media reports said.
"The Tripoli clashes left at least four people dead and 25 wounded, most of them civilians," reported al-Manar television.
State-run National News Agency said clashes renewed between Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen in a fierce manner at around 10:30 p.m., with Energa-type rifle-launched anti-tank grenades and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) widely used.
LBC television said an Energa grenade hit a high school for girls in al-Zahriyeh area, causing no casualties.
Army troops, mainly from the Commando Regiment, began deploying in the afternoon in the city's Syria Street and the areas that witnessed clashes at dawn, state-run National News Agency said.
MTV said a clash erupted between the army and gunmen in Bab al-Tabbaneh after troops entered one of its neighborhoods.
NNA reported later that citizens Mustafa Ali Mustafa and Rami Saad Harrouq were wounded by gunfire in Syria Street.
A number of residents blocked the al-Mallouleh roundabout and Syria Street's Abu Ali roundabout to protest the wounding of the two, said NNA.
Meanwhile, LBC television reported that “Islamists have refused to end their sit-in at the Abdul Hamid Karami Square in Tripoli,” as MTV reported “the sound of heavy gunfire coming from Al-Nour Square.”
The fighting erupted at 2:00 am after an Energa-type rocket fell in the area of al-Qobbeh, a largely Sunni district hostile to the Syrian regime, killing a man identified as Issa Ali, the National News Agency reported.
The rocket attack was followed by a gunbattle between the mainly Sunni residents of Qobbeh and Bab al-Tabbaneh, and the Alawites of Jabal Mohsen, who support Syrian President Bashar Assad.
The fighting with Energa rockets and Rocket Propelled Grenades lasted from 4:00 am till 7:00 am, NNA said, adding that sporadic bursts of rockets machineguns were heard afterwards.
Lebanese soldier Faisal Hussein Abdullah was killed by sniper fire at the Mallouleh roundabout of Tripoli as he was heading to his work from the Bekaa to his hometown in Akkar, the military command said in a communique.
Eighteen-year-old Mahmoud al-Duhaibi’s body was also found on the side of a road at the northern entrance of the city, NNA said.
The gunbattles and sniper attacks left at least nine people injured, including a child and two soldiers.
Lebanese army commandoes began deploying in Syria street to stop the fighting which came against the backdrop of the General Security Department’s arrest on Saturday of Shadi al-Mawlawi for allegedly contacting a terrorist organization.
His seizure drew the condemnation of Islamists who blocked the northern and southern roads into Tripoli and set up camp at the city’s southern entrance.
The army communique said the military conducted patrols and set up roadblocks in Tripoli and vowed to “deal firmly with those who tamper with the city’s security and stability no matter to which side they belong to.”
While conducting patrols in the area of the fighting, two soldiers were injured in a sniper attack, the army said.
Security sources told LBC TV network on Sunday that the General Security Department handed al-Mawlawi to the judiciary, which will release him if no evidence was found of his link to any terrorist organization.
But judicial sources denied the report in remarks to Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5).
President Michel Suleiman called for an emergency meeting for the Higher Defense Council on Sunday afternoon.
13 May 2012, 10:27
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I agree with Helicopter. These people, on both sides, have nothing to do with Lebanon. They are draped with foreign agendas and are just executing orders from their foreign masters. It is high time for the army to storm into thoses areas and cleanse them once and for all, Nahr Al Bared camp style. We cannot afford yet another large pocket of outlaws!
13 May 2012, 10:54
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hadol jama3it 3ali 3id el mijirmine yalli 3ala toul yestahidfou al abria 3a tarik trablos - 3akkar.
13 May 2012, 11:38
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every 2 weeks they start , who is behind them .............innocent people just die always ...
13 May 2012, 15:18
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the truth about tripoli: it's war between wahabies and farsis,it is a regional war, and we return to the old plan...farsis will never have a base on the mediterrenean.
i think farsis will keep iraq( but malki will be replaced by mr jaafari) and the west (not wahabies) will keep lebanon.
BILAD EL ARZ WILL PREVAIL
13 May 2012, 15:58
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The International Criminal Court will await Assaads regime for crimes against humanity, terrorism, bribery, rape, torture, pervert the course of justice, abduction, crimes against children, the list just goes on. Even without considering the 12,000 thousand people murdered in cold blood, the International Criminal Court would be able to try Assads regime on all the crimes committed in Lebanon from the begining of the Civil War. I remember as a kid visiting Lebanon, the Syrian Army were so inhumane so disrespectful and such animals, very vioilent and abusive to the people of Lebanon. The Syrian Regime was behind the plot to kill the Martyr Rafik Al Hariri, through their puppets Hezbollah. However it is inevitable that all the criminals involved will be brought to justice if not in this world dont worry in the next.
13 May 2012, 15:58
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I am sick and tired of all this violence and the criminals destroying Lebanon, its about time we all stand up against these criminals, Lebanon deserves better, it is so beutiful.
13 May 2012, 18:33
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These are idiot people. Tearing up their own homes and communities, killing the fellow citizens, and for what? WHAT? For Bashar Assad who cares not a whit for them, their families, their homes or their community!!
Idiots who have forgotten, it seems 30 years of war and occupation and what it did to Lebanon, and they take to the arms again.
Idiots!!!
13 May 2012, 20:37
01
In Syria, The Stupid government and the stupid Sunni Islamists are destroying their country. In Lebanon, The stupid Pro Baathists and the stupid Sunni Islamists are imitating them. While in both countries, the Israeli enemy is occupying our countries and laughing at us.
13 May 2012, 21:42
01
Don't they get bored fighting each other for people (Assad) that are not even Lebanese? I mean is it really worth all this fighting, destruction, and killing? Please some one explain to me what makes those people in the picture willing to go out and fight?
14 May 2012, 05:37
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Lol the Alawites attack the Sunnis? Wallah you're going to make me shed a tear for you. Through the history of Tripoli, Sunnis attacked defense-less Alawites whenever they lost somewhere else, until Hafez al-Asad taught the Alawites how to defend themselves during the civil war. And now you still want to say Alawites attack Sunnis? It's pretty stupid claiming a minority attacks a majority. Nice try buddy!
14 May 2012, 16:50
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talking about alligiance FT ?
Who killed Samer hanna?
Who Beats the police and strip them of their weapons every time they try to arrest a drug dealer?
BTW when was the last time you paid your electricity bill?
Tonto y capullo
15 May 2012, 04:12
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@rudes, you seem to come from an environment and culture where if you have something to say, either here or in any other public forum the statement is on "orders" from some one else who directs you to say the things that you say. Otherwise, why would you attribute such conduct to people with whom you disagree?
By the same token as your last statement, do you not get tired of taking orders from Iran and Assad? Is this your universe and you reflect it in all that you say because you are under orders to do so?
Not speaking for the rest, but as for me, I am in the US and am not in contact with all of these great powers that you mentioned. I speak my own mind. If only you could.
16 May 2012, 17:39
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israel is butchering sunnis arab dark skinned ugly salafis everyday
and you northern lebanese sunnis are mostly uneducated,you have no schools,like animals you live,and you just hard and strong to attack jabal Mohsen..why dont you attack israel(What kicks your arab ass everyday) why christian Ghassanide MArunite terroristes of Lebanese Forces,dont attack israel?Are you just strong against those small gruppe of Alawites? iam not Alawi,but you Salafis are not Muslims,you behead people and in caucasus you showed your face(you evile beheading bearded ugly people) and Assad is better than a Salafi,or wanabee phoenician arab marunite(Who claim that lebanon is his)! i hope no dark skinned ugly sunni stay in lebanon,go you arab sand nigger back to saudiArabia
we dont love you and your long beards
16 March 2013, 20:12
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Look in the mirror buddy. Maronites have the same olive skin tone as Sunnis.
You are also a 'sand nigger'. No matter how much you worship the West, you will never be accepted by them and you will always be seen as a 'sand nigger', yourself. By the way, those Caucasian Muslims are 100x whiter looking than maronites, and yet they have honor and courage. They do not regard themselves the same as Europeans and they are willing to fight for what they believe in, unlike you spineless dhimmis.
