Two Killed, Five Wounded as Clashes Resume in Tripoli
Two people were killed on Thursday as sniper attacks resumed in the northern city of Tripoli, reported Voice of Lebanon radio.
The dead include a child from the Zahra family, it added.
Agence France Presse reported that five people have been wounded in the clashes that renewed in Tripoli on Thursday.
VDL added that the army has blocked all the roads leading to the hotspots in the city in order to protect the people in light of the return of the sniper activity.
It later reported that gunmen, not affiliated to the Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen clashes, have opened fire randomly in various parts of the city.
The assailants, driving in a white Mercedes, drove around the city while randomly opening fire.
Members of the army intelligence are chasing the perpetrators.
The radio said that gunshots were heard in al-Zahiriya area in Tripoli, which is located far from the two rival neighborhoods, adding that the unknown gunmen were likely responsible for them.
A cautious calm had pervaded the city overnight, which was only interrupted by intermittent gunshots from snipers, reported the NNA on Friday.
Clashes had erupted Wednesday night between the rival neighborhoods of Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen, especially at Syria Street, which separates the two areas.
The unrest was sparked by the arrest of Islamist Shadi al-Mawlawi on Saturday.
At least nine people have been killed and 90 wounded in the violence.
Efforts had been exerted by various political powers to end the unrest, with an agreement being reached on Wednesday between Interior Minister Marwan Charbel, Islamic committees and the committee following up on the case of Islamist detainees, under which al-Mawlawi will be re-interrogated on Thursday.
He was arrested on charges of belonging to a terrorist organization, but his supporters say he was targeted because of his help for Syrian refugees fleeing to Lebanon.
Al-Mawlawi's brother Nizar later warned that the Islamists would escalate the situation if Shadi is not released before 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, reported LBC television.
The detainee was scheduled to be re-interrogated on Thursday.
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