Lebanese army soldiers deployed in Tripoli North Lebanon to stop fighting of Syrian rivals 1805124

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Defense News - Lebanon
 
 
Friday, May 18, 2012, 10:12 AM
 
Lebanese army soldiers deployed in Tripoli North Lebanon to stop fighting of Syrian rivals.

Units from Lebanese Army and Internal Security Forces (ISF) completed Thursday a heavy deployment in the streets and squares of the northern city of Tripoli, National News Agency reported Thursday, May 17, 2012.

     
Units from Lebanese Army and Internal Security Forces (ISF) completed Thursday a heavy deployment in the streets and squares of the northern city of Tripoli, National News Agency reported Thursday, May 17, 2012.
Lebanese soldiers take position in Tripoli's Sunni neighbourhood of Bab al-Tabbaneh on May 17, 2012. Fresh sectarian clashes erupted between pro- and anti-Syrian districts in the north Lebanon port city of Tripoli, leaving at least one person dead and seven wounded, a security official said.
     

The army and the ISF erected several checkpoints and conducted armored patrols, particularly at rival neighborhoods of Sunni Bab el Tebbaneh and Alawite Jabal Mohsen.

Since 1 p.m. on Thursday, the city has not witnessed any gunfire shooting or sniping, the report noted.

Deadly clashes broke out on Saturday in Tripoli between Islamists and the army, following the arrest of Lebanese citizen Shadi al-Mawlawi by the General Security at a social services center that belongs to Finance Minister Mohammad Safadi.

After his arrest, 100 young men blocked the northern and southern roads into Tripoli. The ensuing sectarian clashes left nine people dead and some 50 wounded.

The heavy deployment decision was taken by security officials after Prime Minister Najib Mikati called on security forces to erect checkpoints in Tripoli and arrest anyone carrying arms in public during a meeting at his residence in the city.

Mikati convened a meeting in his hometown of Tripoli, which was attended by officials from the northern city as well as security chiefs, after sporadic clashes and sniper fire violated the shaky truce between the rival neighborhoods of Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen.

Throughout the morning, the Lebanese Army responded to sporadic sniper fire in several neighborhoods of Tripoli as tensions remained high following three days of bloody clashes. The majority of snipers are located in the Talaat al-Omari area, situated between the rival neighborhoods.

Three rocket-propelled grenades were fired on Syria Street separating the rival neighborhoods earlier in the day.

According to a statement released by the prime minister's media office, the attendees discussed security situation in Tripoli and mandated Lebanese Army and ISF to "control security situation in the city."

The attendees also called on all parties to "remove all forms of military presence in the city," stressing the importance of restoring normal life in all areas.