Sectarian fighting breaks out in Lebanon

TRIPOLI, Lebanon -- Firing assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenades, Lebanese gunmen clashed in street battles yesterday as sectarian tensions linked to the uprising in Syria bled across the border for a third day.

Five people have been killed and 100 wounded in Lebanon's second-largest city since the gun battles erupted late Saturday, security officials said.

Residents say differences over Syria are at the root of the fighting, which pits neighbor against neighbor and raises fears of unrest that could draw in neighboring countries.

Lebanon and Syria share a complex web of political and sectarian ties and rivalries, easily inflamed. Tripoli has seen bouts of sectarian violence in the past, but the fighting has become more frequent as the conflict in Syria worsens.

On one side are Sunni Muslims who support the rebels trying to oust Syrian President Bashar Assad. On the other are members of the tiny Alawite sect, followers of an offshoot of Shia Islam who are Assad's most loyal supporters.

The recent clashes were sparked by the arrest of Lebanese national Shadi Mawlawi, an outspoken critic of Assad. The Sunni fighters say the root of the latest conflict in Tripoli is across the border.

"Syria. It wants it this way. It wants to start a battle here so it can say, look, even in Lebanon the Sunnis are killing the Alawites," said Mustafa Nashar, 35. -- AP