3 Hurt in Abi Samra Demo, Gunmen Deploy in Bab al-Tabbaneh, Jabal Mohsen

Three people were wounded on Sunday when a demo against the Syrian regime came under gunfire in the Tripoli neighborhood of Abi Samra.

“Gunmen opened fire at the demo when it reached al-Shiraa Roundabout, wounding three people who were rushed to hospitals in the area,” state-run National News Agency reported.

“At once, Lebanese army troops arrived on the scene and encircled the site to prevent any escalation,” NNA said.

Earlier on Sunday, gunmen deployed on the streets of Tripoli's rival Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen districts following a personal dispute between two youths from the two areas, Radio Voice of Lebanon (93.3) reported.

It said the army intervened and managed to contain the situation after youths from the two areas hurled stones at each other.

In February three people were killed and 23 others wounded in fierce clashes between gunmen from the two rival neighborhoods.

In June 2011, six people were killed in the wake of demonstrations in the area against the Syrian regime.

Predominantly Alawite Bab al-Tabbaneh is loyal to the Hizbullah-led alliance and the Syrian regime, while largely Sunni Bab al-Tabbaneh is loyal to Lebanon’s anti-Syrian opposition.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who is fighting an unprecedented revolt against his regime, is from the Alawite community, an offshoot of Shia Islam.