6 soldiers killed in clashes with Islamists in Tripoli market

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tripoli lebanon clashesAt least six Lebanese soldiers have died in clashes with Islamist gunmen in the northern city of Tripoli, including at a historic market, the army says.

It is the second day of fighting against the Sunni militants, who are thought to be linked to Islamic State.

The spillover of the Syrian conflict has led to a surge in sectarian tension in Tripoli, with clashes common.

But it is the first time they have spread to the bazaar – a candidate for Unesco world heritage status.

The latest violence was sparked after Lebanese troops killed three militants and detained a local leader in a raid in the north of the city on Friday.

Civilians trapped

Fighting later erupted after gunmen targeted an army patrol in Khan al-Asker, near the heart of the city. The militants then retreated to the market, where clashes continued into Saturday afternoon.

An army statement said the gunmen were surrounded in the market, with several of them wounded during an exchange of fire. It said that fighting ended at approximately 14:00 local time (11:00 GMT).

“The army has ended its operation, having arrested a number of armed men and seized quantities of weapons and ammunition from them, while others fled and are being pursued,” it added.

Lebanese army soldiers open fire during clashes with Islamic militants in the northern port city of Tripoli, Lebanon, on 25 October 2014
Soldiers reportedly surrounded the historic market, with snipers positioned on rooftops
Soldiers help civilians evacuate as the Lebanese army clashes with Sunni militants, Tripoli, Lebanon, 25 October 2014.
Soldiers were on hand to help evacuate civilians trapped in the cross fire
Soldiers help civilians evacuate as the Lebanese army clashes with Sunni militants, Tripoli, Lebanon, 25 October 2014.
Several civilians were injured during the onslaught, with reports that one died

Fighting also spread to other parts of the city, with reports that at least one civilian was killed and several others – including a local journalist – wounded.

The number of casualties among the gunmen was not immediately clear. Security officials could not confirm whether the gunmen were affiliated with any group, according to the AFP news agency.

Dozens of shops were destroyed in the market, with dozens of civilians, many of them women and children, trapped inside until the fighting stopped, the agency added.

Tripoli is sharply divided along sectarian lines, with tensions stoked by the continuing civil war in neighbouring Syria.

Clashes between opponents and supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have regularly erupted in the coastal city, but have rarely spread beyond one neighbourhood where tensions are highest.

On Friday, Lebanon announced it would no longer accept refugees from war-torn Syria, saying it had reached saturation point.

Lebanon has taken in 1.1 million Syrians despite having a total population of only just over four million.

 

BBC

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7 responses to “6 soldiers killed in clashes with Islamists in Tripoli market”

  1. 5thDrawer Avatar

    ‘Tripoli’s Bab al-Tabbaneh ‘ ….. DON’T GO THERE !!
    (Unless you’re a self-immolation device … maybe)
    http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2014/Oct-26/275382-lebanon-militants-kidnap-second-soldier-in-tripoli.ashx#axzz3H3kWGYP2

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar

      And still ongoing ….

  2. nagy_michael2 Avatar
    nagy_michael2

    Enough of this B.S. its time for the army to do root canal on these filthy jihadists and wipe them out. I am getting of hearing soldiers getting killed here and there. I am getting tired of Hezbollah rhetoric that they will not allow them to come to Lebanon.. really? you go around and kill sunnis as you please then these extremists feeds the poor of tripoli on these things. but Tripoli needs to wake up and stop being used also by these scum ISIS and AL nusra.

    1. Sorry dont take offense but there are 2 things in life i assume we are all taught. Dont spit in the plate that feeds you and dont shit in your own backyard. Enough of the blaming here there and everywhere. they are locals syrians and palestinians as well as foreigners. No matter what the reason you dont claim righteousness by killing your own troops for simply trying to keep the peace. They are killing their own. boys from tripoli akkar mineh. what does opening fire on troops or lobbying grenades at them have anything to do with any of whats happening? The people of tripoli need to stand up to their politicians because alot of them are feeding this and demand for once that tripoli be treated as the 2nd largest city in lebanon. Hospitals, roads,jobs,schools,social services infrastructure. If they have such a fear of hezbollah killing them then why kill the army who are there to safeguard??

    2. TheUSequalsTheIS Avatar
      TheUSequalsTheIS

      if the christians hadnt started killing the sunnis of palestine, the lebanese civil war wudnt have started. if the civil war wasnt started the israelis wudnt have invaded lebanon. if israel hadnt invaded lebanon, hezzy wudnt exist today. if not hezzy no sunni wud have been killed by them. so u as a christian have only urself to blame 🙂

  3. Fauzia45 Avatar

    Civilians ,,,women and children always have to pay the price ,, sadly enough!!!This is tragic! All should be under the control of the army and there should be nothing but the army!!!If not this will continue to happen and happen!!!!

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar

      I try to reassure the crying friends … the noise is bad – especially at night in the dark apartment. The 5-yr-old is hungry on top of being terrified. No-one sleeps for the last three days. There is still enough gas to boil water.
      The Army cannot help but make the needed ‘noise’.
      For the moment, the WiFi still works on occasion ….

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