Gunbattles flare in Lebanon as political crisis deepens

Lebanon's army soldiers hold their guns while securing an area, where clashes between the army and Sunni Muslim gunmen took place, in Beirut October 22, 2012. Lebanon's army said on Monday the nation faced a critical time after violent demonstrations against the killing of a senior intelligence officer, saying it would act decisively to curb tension and calling for calm from politicians and protesters. REUTERS-Mohamed Azakir

(Reuters) – The Lebanese army promised decisive action to quell unrest linked to the Syria conflict as gunbattles flared in the capital Beirut and elsewhere on Monday after the assassination of a senior intelligence officer last week.

The army command urged political leaders to be cautious in their public statements so as not to inflame passions further.

It issued the warning after troops and gunmen exchanged fire in Beirut’s southern suburbs on Monday morning, wounding five people, while protesters blocked roads with burning tires.

In the northern city of Tripoli, four people were killed, including a 9-year-old girl, and 12 wounded in clashes overnight and in the morning, security and medical sources said.

The violence heightened fears that the civil war in Syria next door was spreading into Lebanon, upsetting its delicate political balance and threatening to usher in a new era of bloodshed between Lebanese allies and opponents of President Bashar al-Assad.

Lebanon has been boiling since Friday after Brigadier General Wissam al-Hassan, an intelligence chief opposed to the Syrian leadership, was assassinated in a car bombing.

Many politicians have accused Syria of being behind the killing and angry protesters tried to storm the government palace after Hassan’s funeral on Sunday.

 

Reuters has the full article

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