Alawite-Sunni clashes erupt in Lebanon
- 12 years ago
(ROUGH CUT ONLY - NO REPORTER NARRATION)
At least two people were killed when fighting erupted overnight in the Lebanese city of Tripoli between members of the Alawite minority loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and majority Sunni residents, witnesses and security officials said on Sunday (May 13).
Rocket-propelled grenades and automatic rifles were used in the fighting between armed groups in an Alawite enclave and surrounding Sunni neighbourhoods in the port city, 70 kilometres (44 miles) north of Beirut, they said.
Security sources said one of those killed was a soldier in his vehicle en route to the area where the clashes were taking place.
A small Alawite minority are concentrated in Tripoli, a conservative Sunni city where many residents have been enraged by Assad's crackdown on the 14-month revolt against 42 years of rule by the Assad family and their Alawite establishment.
At least two people were killed when fighting erupted overnight in the Lebanese city of Tripoli between members of the Alawite minority loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and majority Sunni residents, witnesses and security officials said on Sunday (May 13).
Rocket-propelled grenades and automatic rifles were used in the fighting between armed groups in an Alawite enclave and surrounding Sunni neighbourhoods in the port city, 70 kilometres (44 miles) north of Beirut, they said.
Security sources said one of those killed was a soldier in his vehicle en route to the area where the clashes were taking place.
A small Alawite minority are concentrated in Tripoli, a conservative Sunni city where many residents have been enraged by Assad's crackdown on the 14-month revolt against 42 years of rule by the Assad family and their Alawite establishment.