Clashes in northern Lebanon kill at least one

Middle East News

Jul 25, 2008, 10:51 GMT

Beirut - At least one person was killed and ten wounded in sectarian clashes that raged in northern Lebanon Friday, police said. The clashes started at dawn and continued throughout the day during which the rival sides used rocket-propelled grenades in the areas of Bab al Tabbneh and Jabal Mohsen. According to police reports, a rocket hit a mosque in the Sunni district of Bab al-Tabbneh. The crossfire engaged fighters from Sunni areas and others from the largely Alawite neighbouring area of Jabal Mohsen, which has close links with the Shiite Hezbollah movement. Roads leading to the two areas remained deserted as shops and business were closed. The police said three grenades also exploded overnight in Tripoli despite a reinforced army presence aimed at restoring calm. Following the explosions, gunmen from both sides were seen taking positions in the streets for the first time since Lebanese army troops deployed in force in mid-July, pledging a tough response to any breach of security. Repeated clashes between the two areas have left 14 people dead and more than 100 wounded since June. Bab al-Tabbaneh is a stronghold of the anti-Syrian parliamentary majority while the inhabitants of Jabal Mohsen are mainly supporters of the Hezbollah-led opposition. The latest fighting came as the newly formed cabinet struggles to reach a consensus on a policy statement ahead of a parliamentary vote of confidence which would enable the government to be officially installed. The cabinet decided on Thursday night to postpone talks on the thorny issue of Hezbollah's arms. Hezbollah was the only group that did not have to hand over its weapons to the government following the 1989 Saudi-brokered Taef agreement which ended the 1975-1990 Lebanese civil war because it was fighting the Israeli occupation of south Lebanon. Israel pulled its troops out of Lebanon in 2000. UN Resolution 1559, adopted in 2004, called for, among other things, the 'disbanding and disarmament of all Lebanese and non- Lebanese militias.' UN Resolution 1701, which brought an end to the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, called for there to be 'no weapons or authority in Lebanon other than that of the Lebanese state.'

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Clashes in northern Lebanon kill at least one

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