RPG Hits Tripoli's al-Baqqar, Hizb ut-Tahrir Denies Link to Friday Clashes

by Naharnet Newsdesk 19 June 2011, 22:03

A rocket-propelled grenade hit the main street in the al-Baqqar neighborhood in the northern city of Tripoli on Sunday, two days after clashes over an anti-Syria rally killed seven people, state-run National News Agency reported, without elaborating.

But MTV said the grenade caused no casualties when it struck the neighborhood.

Meanwhile, the Lebanese branch of the pan-Islamic party Hizb ut-Tahrir denied “any direct or indirect link” to the deadly clashes that erupted in Tripoli on Friday, stressing that its members did not take part in the Bab al-Tabbaneh or the al-Nour Square anti-Syria demos.

The party has recently organized several demos in Lebanon against the Syrian regime and in support of the Syrian people.

Tensions have been running high in Tripoli, since deadly clashes on Friday between gunmen positioned in the rival neighborhoods of Jabal Mohsen and Bab al-Tabbaneh.

Security officials said 79 people were injured in the clashes, which erupted after a rally demanding Syrian President Bashar al-Assad step down. Among the seven killed were a Lebanese army soldier, the military official of the Arab Democratic Party Ali Fares and a 14-year-old boy.

Troops have since deployed in force in the two Tripoli neighborhoods.

Earlier Sunday head of the Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc, former premier Fouad Saniora, called on the new government to ban weapons in Tripoli.

Saniora also warned that "unrest is dormant" in the northern port city.

"Tripoli must become a city that is free of all arms, and that must be implemented immediately," Saniora told reporters.

Saniora said he and his allies would support the new prime minister, Najib Miqati, in making sure the streets of Tripoli were free of arms.

"We will stand by the government ... should they work for that end," he said.

"The army and security forces must deal with all attempts to incite unrest firmly."

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