Renewed fighting erupts in Lebanon

May 13, 2008

Fierce battles resumed Tuesday in northern Lebanon, further exacerbating tensions after days of sectarian unrest that has driven the nation to the brink of full-blown civil war. Fighting erupted shortly after 3:00 am (0000 GMT) between supporters of Lebanon's Western-backed government and the Hezbollah-led opposition in the city of Tripoli, with fighters using machine guns, mortars and rocked-propelled grenades, a security official and an AFP correspondent said. The battles, between Sunnis loyal to the government and pro-Hezbollah Alawites, in Tripoli's Bab al-Tebbaneh and Jabal Mohsen neighborhoods eased about a half hour later. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

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