Lebanese army completing deployment in Tripoli

The Lebanese army has completed its extensive deployment in Jabal Mohsin the mostly Alawite neighborhood of Tripoli as a first step towards complete deployment throughout Tripoli according to National news Agency NNA

NNA added that the next step for the army is to complete its deployment in Bab Al Tabbaneh , the predominately Sunni neighborhood .

Sunday’s fighting between Sunni Muslims and Alawite co-religionists of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad came amid growing international concern about the potential for neighbouring countries to be dragged into the conflict.

Bab al-Tabbaneh residents exchanged machine gun and rocket fire with Jabal Mohsen district residents , leaving three members of each community dead, according to security officials.

The fighting, which erupted before dawn, broke a tense calm that had held since the army deployed troops between the two impoverished neighbourhoods early on Friday.

During the night, troops held their positions on side streets but not on the ironically named Syria Street that forms the frontline.

The clashes rocked Tripoli’s rival neighbourhoods intermittently throughout the day, the security official said, adding that fighting was still taking place “off and on” in the afternoon.

The latest deaths brought the toll from fighting in the city since Tuesday to 19, including two children.

Update: PM Nagib Mikati who hails from Tripoli urged the residents to cooperate with the Lebanese amy to help it end the bloodshed .