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Sunday 26 October 2014 - 07:28

Violent clashes in Tripoli

Story Code : 416518
Violent clashes in Tripoli
Soldiers exchanged heavy fire with the gunmen, whose exact affiliation was unclear, in the morning and moved in on their positions in the afternoon, security sources said. One civilian was also killed in the fighting.

Three soldiers were wounded in a nearby incident when gunmen opened fire on an army vehicle near the northern village of Bahneen, the sources said. One soldier later died from his wounds.

At least two militants were killed and six soldiers were wounded during earlier fighting in Tripoli late on Friday. One of the soldiers died from his wounds on Saturday.

Tripoli has seen some of the worst spill-over from the 3-1/2-year-old war in neighbouring Syria, whose border is only about 30 km (20 miles) north up the coast from the ancient port city. Gun battles and bombings linked to the conflict have regularly broken out.

In statements published by the National News Agency, the army leadership said: "The pursuit of terrorist gunmen in Tripoli is continuing and will not be pulled back until after the terrorists are eliminated."

Tripoli has long been a stronghold for hardline Sunni Islamists, many of whom accuse Lebanon's army of working with Shiite movement Hezbollah, which has sent fighters to aid Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a member of the Shiite Alawite minority, against majority Sunni rebels.
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