Spillover of war in Syria: At least 23 dead in Lebanese city of Tripoli

 Armoured Personnel Carrier of the Lebanese army in the streets of Tripoli (Photo AFP)

During new fights this week in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli at least 23 people have been killed. 
Thursday was the bloodiest day, with at least 11 people killed in 24 hours.At least 167 people have been wounded. The clashes are between gunmen in the Jabal Mohsen neighborhood, who are Alawites and supporters of the regime of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, against those in the adjacent Bab al-Tabbaneh district who are Sunni militants. The fighting began Sunday afternoon, after rumors spread that several young men from Tripoli had left for Syria to fight against President Bashar al-Assad’s troops and were now in Qusayr, killed, taken captive, or trying to escape.
The fighting in Tripoli, which has flared sporadically since the beginning of the Syria conflict in March 2011, has been largely confined to the two neighborhoods.