Lebanon: Despite Declared Truce, Clashes Continue In Tripoli
A calm in the northern Lebanon city of Tripoli seemed Friday morning remote. There has been a declaration on a cease-fire, but the fire continued. This is the third time in recent months that the capital of northern Lebanon, was shaken by the fighting. Since Monday, while Muslims were celebrating the end of Ramadan, the rival neighborhoods of Bab el-Tebanneh (Sunni and anti-Bashar al Assad) and Jabal Mohsen (pro-Syrian regime and Alawite) exchanged fire.
On Friday morning, a 28 year old Sunni sheikh was killed in clashes that erupted at dawn after a fragile cease-fire between the neighborhoods was declared.
During the day, the threat of snipers in several districts of Tripoli remained. In particular, they targeted foreign journalists including the team sent by Sky News Arabia television.
The Lebanese news agency said earlier this afternoon that seven Lebanese soldiers were wounded by snipers on the streets between the rival neighborhoods.
Issam Maarabani, a local resident, who was hit by the snipers in the Sunni neighborhood of Qobbe succumbed to his injuries Friday. A third victim, Masmas Walid, a resident of Bab el-Tebbaneh, also died Friday afternoon from his injuries.
TV channel MTV, meanwhile, reported that armed men were deployed early afternoon in different parts of the city and said that the security level provided by the army is not sufficient.
