The Lebanese army An explosion ripped through an area in the Lebanese northern port city of Tripoli late on Friday, spreading chaos after clashes broke out in the city as gunmen deployed heavily in two rival neighbourhoods , one group supporting and the other opposing the regime in Syria, according to security sources.
The blast occurred in the evening near Al-Jinan University of Tripoli, the National News Agency reported. "Explosions were heard and a huge fire erupted in the area,” the report said, adding that it “may be due to the explosion of an arms’ depot.”
Initial reports claimed several people were injured.
Earlier in the day, two soldiers and one passerby were injured when rival factions from the Sunni neighbourhoods of Bab Al-Tebbaneh and Alawi of Jebal Mohsen of Tripoli fired rocket-propelled grenades at each other, according to security sources.
The sources told ‘Arabstoday’: “There is a heavy armed presence in the Sunni Muslim neighbourhoods of Bab Al-Tabbaneh and Alawite of Jabal Mohsen,” adding that one person driving by was injured in the gunfire as well.
According to eyewitnesses, the clashes continued until Friday evening despite the army had deployed in both neighbourhoods earlier in the day.
The Lebanese army said in a statement issued on Friday that three soldiers suffered from “minor injuries” after the clashes.
“During the gunfire between Jabal Mohsen and Bab Al-Tabbaneh, army forces intervened, responded to the fire and raided the places of the people shooting and patrolled [Tripoli’s] Syria street.”
The army also said that some of the perpetrators of Friday’s clashes were arrested, adding that some weapons were confiscated.
“Army units continue to strengthen their security measures and arrest the rest of the perpetrators.”
The statement added that the situation is “calm and normal” in all Tripoli areas.
The Sunni-majority coastal city has in the past few years been the scene of intense clashes between Sunni supporters of the anti-Syrian opposition and Alawite Muslims loyal to a Hezbollah-led alliance backed by Iran and Syria.
Lebanese President Michel Sleiman on Friday called on the security and military forces to act “decisively with those tampering with security and civil peace” in North Lebanon, particularly in Tripoli’s Jabal Mohsen and Bab Al-Tabbaneh, the National News Agency reported.
The President also said it was important that residents in Tripoli follow the army and security forces’ instructions “in order to maintain security, stability and unity.”
In addition, the Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, who is currently in France, contacted Lebanese Army Commander Jean Kahwaji on Friday and requested he take the “appropriate measures” to restore calm in Tripoli, the National News Agency reported.