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| Lebanon clashes: At least 17 soldiers killed in Sidon | |
| (2 days later) | |
| At least 17 Lebanese soldiers have been killed in clashes with Sunni militants in the port city of Sidon. | |
| Fighting broke out after supporters of a radical Sunni cleric opened fire on a checkpoint on Sunday. | Fighting broke out after supporters of a radical Sunni cleric opened fire on a checkpoint on Sunday. |
| Clashes continued overnight as security forces tried to surround the cleric's supporters, local media say. | Clashes continued overnight as security forces tried to surround the cleric's supporters, local media say. |
| Sectarian tensions in Lebanon have risen since the country's Shia movement Hezbollah backed Syria's government in the civil war there. | Sectarian tensions in Lebanon have risen since the country's Shia movement Hezbollah backed Syria's government in the civil war there. |
| Witnesses said machine gun and rocket fire shook Sidon, 40km (28 miles) south of Beirut, causing panic among residents. | Witnesses said machine gun and rocket fire shook Sidon, 40km (28 miles) south of Beirut, causing panic among residents. |
| The army blamed the violence on supporters of hardline Sunni cleric Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir. | The army blamed the violence on supporters of hardline Sunni cleric Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir. |
| The incident is a further stark reminder of how the violence in Syria is destabilising life in neighbouring Lebanon where a delicate equilibrium has prevailed amongst rival religious and ethnic groups since its own civil war ended more than 20 years ago, says the BBC's Kevin Connolly in Beirut. | The incident is a further stark reminder of how the violence in Syria is destabilising life in neighbouring Lebanon where a delicate equilibrium has prevailed amongst rival religious and ethnic groups since its own civil war ended more than 20 years ago, says the BBC's Kevin Connolly in Beirut. |
| Sidon has been on edge since violence erupted last week between Sunni and Shia fighters who have taken different sides in the Syrian conflict. | Sidon has been on edge since violence erupted last week between Sunni and Shia fighters who have taken different sides in the Syrian conflict. |
| Lebanese officials have since been trying to quell the unrest and had restored an uneasy calm before Sunday's violence. | Lebanese officials have since been trying to quell the unrest and had restored an uneasy calm before Sunday's violence. |
| Fresh clashes broke out on Sunday after police arrested a follower of Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir at a checkpoint. | Fresh clashes broke out on Sunday after police arrested a follower of Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir at a checkpoint. |
| Some reports suggest the man was carrying unlicensed firearms in his car. Mr Assir's Salafist followers claim the man was beaten up and then released. | Some reports suggest the man was carrying unlicensed firearms in his car. Mr Assir's Salafist followers claim the man was beaten up and then released. |
| Other supporters of the cleric then attacked security forces in retaliation and called on their supporters to take to the streets nationwide, the sources said. | Other supporters of the cleric then attacked security forces in retaliation and called on their supporters to take to the streets nationwide, the sources said. |
| More than 100 soldiers were wounded in the clashes. | More than 100 soldiers were wounded in the clashes. |
| "The army was attacked in cold blood in an attempt to light the fuse in Sidon," a military statement said. | "The army was attacked in cold blood in an attempt to light the fuse in Sidon," a military statement said. |
| Smoke could be seen billowing over parts of the city and shells were reported to have hit central Sidon late on Sunday evening. | Smoke could be seen billowing over parts of the city and shells were reported to have hit central Sidon late on Sunday evening. |
| People in the worst affected areas - Abra and Hilaliya - called on the authorities to move them to safer places. | People in the worst affected areas - Abra and Hilaliya - called on the authorities to move them to safer places. |
| Last month, Lebanon's parliament voted to postpone elections due in June because of security concerns over the conflict in Syria. | Last month, Lebanon's parliament voted to postpone elections due in June because of security concerns over the conflict in Syria. |