One Dead, Several Wounded as Clashes Resume in Tripoli

Several people were wounded on Tuesday afternoon when clashes resumed in the northern city of Tripoli, the state-run National News Agency reported.

"Clashes are still taking place on several axes in Tripoli,” the NNA said.

"The fighting wounded many people in (the Tripoli neighborhoods of) Jabal Mohsen, Bab al-Tabbaneh, Qobbeh and on the international highway,” it added.

MTV elaborated: “Four army soldiers and 8 civilians were wounded in the ongoing clashes.”

But LBCI television, however, announced that a 13-year-old boy who hails from Jabal Mohsen has died of his wounds.

LBCI identified the boy as Daniel al-Ahmed, noting that he was injured by sniper fire during the clashes.

A house was also burned in the northern Baqqar region after it was hit by gunshots, according to the NNA.

The same source said the army is responding to all sources of fire.

"Many calls urged citizens and trucks to avoid passing through the international highway between Tripoli, the northern city of Akkar and the Syria border.”

For the third day in a row, Tripoli has been witnessing severe clashes between the neighborhoods of Jabal Mohsen and Bab al-Tabbaneh.

One Monday, five people were injured, including soldiers, in fighting between the rival neighborhoods.

Clashes broke out Monday night, as an interview with Syrian President Bashar Assad was being aired on television.

But on Tuesday morning, cautious calm prevailed in the northern city despite intermittent gunfire and sniper activity as several residents fled to safer areas.

The state news agency said that sniper activity reached the international highway that links Tripoli with the northern province of Akkar.

Sipping coffee on a roadside, Bilal Allush, a 30-year-old vegetable seller from a nearby neighborhood, told Agence France Presse "we all want this violence to end.

"Those people fighting, they are just criminals. Meanwhile, whenever there's a clash, people like me can't work and our families suffer."

Bab al-Tabbaneh is home to Tripoli's main vegetable market, where vendors like Allush can buy in bulk.

"I couldn't go buy vegetables from the market, so I haven't made any money today. My family survives on my daily income. I have four children," he said.