Fears Grow over Security Chaos as Breaches Continue in Tripoli
Fears of all-out chaos are growing as breaches continue in north Lebanon – the latest against Lebanese army troops overnight.
News reports said Thursday that unknown gunmen opened fire on Lebanese army troops in Qobbeh district in the northern city of Tripoli.
They said unidentified gunmen hiding in a building that lies between Qobbeh and Jabal Mohsen opened fire on troops late Wednesday, prompting army response.
There were no reports of casualties among soldiers.
The shooting incident, however, came shortly before a dispute broke out between two families in Qobbeh that left three people wounded.
Fighting soon quelled after the intervention of Lebanese troops.
But tension continued to prevail over Tripoli amid calls for calm for fear of chaos across the country.
Egypt has expressed concern over the situation in Lebanon, particularly in Tripoli.
Visiting Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abulgheit has reiterated Egypt”s worries about the fragile security situation in Tripoli, saying:
"The message is that you have to be careful so that the situation in Tripoli does not blow up. All sides should act along calculations that do not lead to collisions between brethren and members of the one people."
Meanwhile, Future Movement leader and MP Saad Hariri called on MPs of his parliamentary bloc and Mustaqbal members to avoid being dragged into conflict on the occasion to commemorate the disappearance of Imam Moussa Sadr Aug. 31.
Hariri, in a statement issued by his office late Wednesday, stressed "the need to adhere to the requirements of the law and resort to security forces … which are tasked with dealing with conflicts and confronting attacks."
In a separate incident, angry residents from Qobbeh, Bab el-Hadid and Suweiqa blocked several roads of north Lebanon with burning tires Wednesday evening in protest against continuing power cuts.