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| Clashes Continue on Second Day in South Lebanon City | Clashes Continue on Second Day in South Lebanon City |
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| SIDON, Lebanon — Fierce clashes continued for a second day on Monday between the army and gunmen loyal to a radical Sunni cleric in this southern Lebanese city, in an outburst of civil violence that reflected how deeply the war in neighboring Syria has undermined security in Lebanon. | SIDON, Lebanon — Fierce clashes continued for a second day on Monday between the army and gunmen loyal to a radical Sunni cleric in this southern Lebanese city, in an outburst of civil violence that reflected how deeply the war in neighboring Syria has undermined security in Lebanon. |
| At least 15 soldiers have died in the clashes, according to Lebanon’s official National News Agency. Reports varied on the death toll among followers of the cleric, Sheik Ahmad al-Assir, who was said to be hiding in his mosque with hundreds of his followers on Monday. | At least 15 soldiers have died in the clashes, according to Lebanon’s official National News Agency. Reports varied on the death toll among followers of the cleric, Sheik Ahmad al-Assir, who was said to be hiding in his mosque with hundreds of his followers on Monday. |
| The news agency said at least two of his followers had been killed, and other local news outlets said as many as 30 had died. In the downtown of the city on Monday afternoon, the sound of heavy weapons had ebbed, but intermittent gunfire could still be heard. A Lebanese officer said that the army had surrounded and entered Mr. Assir’s mosque, in the city’s Abra district. | The news agency said at least two of his followers had been killed, and other local news outlets said as many as 30 had died. In the downtown of the city on Monday afternoon, the sound of heavy weapons had ebbed, but intermittent gunfire could still be heard. A Lebanese officer said that the army had surrounded and entered Mr. Assir’s mosque, in the city’s Abra district. |
| On Twitter on Monday, the cleric implored supporters to “save your people, who are being massacred.” | On Twitter on Monday, the cleric implored supporters to “save your people, who are being massacred.” |
| The fighting represented some of the worst violence in Lebanon since the Syrian uprising began more than two years ago, fueling fears of the Syrian civil war’s contagion. More worryingly for many people here, the scenes in Sidon — of Lebanese battling each other in the streets — recalled 1975, and the start of Lebanon's own 15-year civil war. | |
| Mr. Assir is widely seen as a provocateur who has earned notoriety through a series of stunts in the news media, as well as for his public calls for the disarming of the Shiite militant group Hezbollah, which has been fighting in Syria on the side of the government of President Bashar al-Assad. | Mr. Assir is widely seen as a provocateur who has earned notoriety through a series of stunts in the news media, as well as for his public calls for the disarming of the Shiite militant group Hezbollah, which has been fighting in Syria on the side of the government of President Bashar al-Assad. |
| While Mr. Assir’s following was seen as marginal in Lebanon, some Sunnis, sympathetic to Syria’s rebel movement and frustrated with the lack of leadership from the mainstream Sunni Future movement, say Mr. Assir has provided an outlet for anger over Hezbollah’s role in Syria. | While Mr. Assir’s following was seen as marginal in Lebanon, some Sunnis, sympathetic to Syria’s rebel movement and frustrated with the lack of leadership from the mainstream Sunni Future movement, say Mr. Assir has provided an outlet for anger over Hezbollah’s role in Syria. |
| The feuds between Sunni hard-liners like Mr. Assir and Hezbollah has unsettled Lebanon, which shares Syria’s easily inflamed and complex network of political and sectarian ties. | The feuds between Sunni hard-liners like Mr. Assir and Hezbollah has unsettled Lebanon, which shares Syria’s easily inflamed and complex network of political and sectarian ties. |
| Last week, Mr. Assir’s followers fought with Hezbollah militiamen in Sidon, a largely Sunni city on the coast. The clashes on Sunday started after Mr. Assir’s gunmen carried out what the army said was a “coldblooded” attack on an army position, “in order to plunge Lebanon into another cycle of violence." | Last week, Mr. Assir’s followers fought with Hezbollah militiamen in Sidon, a largely Sunni city on the coast. The clashes on Sunday started after Mr. Assir’s gunmen carried out what the army said was a “coldblooded” attack on an army position, “in order to plunge Lebanon into another cycle of violence." |
| In a statement, the military promised a fierce response, saying it would “beat with an iron first whoever sheds the blood of the army.” | In a statement, the military promised a fierce response, saying it would “beat with an iron first whoever sheds the blood of the army.” |
| Despite the rising tensions, the ferocity of the clashes and the high death toll stunned residents in Sidon, where many people expressed sympathy with the army. Families streamed out of the city, holding white flags from their cars to ward off snipers who were said to be positioned in buildings. | Despite the rising tensions, the ferocity of the clashes and the high death toll stunned residents in Sidon, where many people expressed sympathy with the army. Families streamed out of the city, holding white flags from their cars to ward off snipers who were said to be positioned in buildings. |
| Munir Ghazzoui, a Lebanese-Canadian who had been stuck with his family inside his apartment without electricity or water, said that whoever had killed the soldiers “should be punished.” | Munir Ghazzoui, a Lebanese-Canadian who had been stuck with his family inside his apartment without electricity or water, said that whoever had killed the soldiers “should be punished.” |
| Members of Mr. Ghazzoui’s family, who are Sunni, said that they had been sympathetic to Mr. Assir, and especially to his condemnations of Hezbollah’s alliance with Mr. Assad. Mr. Ghazzoui’s daughter, Nawal, said the sheik’s fiery sermons “express what every Sunni house is feeling.” | Members of Mr. Ghazzoui’s family, who are Sunni, said that they had been sympathetic to Mr. Assir, and especially to his condemnations of Hezbollah’s alliance with Mr. Assad. Mr. Ghazzoui’s daughter, Nawal, said the sheik’s fiery sermons “express what every Sunni house is feeling.” |
| But, she added, “We are against using arms, by anyone.” | But, she added, “We are against using arms, by anyone.” |
| Another resident, Inaya Haydar, said that she started hearing heavy gunfire around 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, and that it continued into the early morning hours. Ms. Haydar, a Lebanese Shiite who is a supporter of Hezbollah, said that Mr. Assir should be arrested, even if it meant heavy fighting. “Let it take as much as it needs,” she said as she watched from her window as wounded people were taken to a nearby hospital. | Another resident, Inaya Haydar, said that she started hearing heavy gunfire around 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, and that it continued into the early morning hours. Ms. Haydar, a Lebanese Shiite who is a supporter of Hezbollah, said that Mr. Assir should be arrested, even if it meant heavy fighting. “Let it take as much as it needs,” she said as she watched from her window as wounded people were taken to a nearby hospital. |
| The cleric, she said, had shown his hypocrisy by calling on Hezbollah to disarm, a perennial issue in Lebanese politics. “What is he doing now?” she said. “He is armed too, and against the Lebanese Army.” | The cleric, she said, had shown his hypocrisy by calling on Hezbollah to disarm, a perennial issue in Lebanese politics. “What is he doing now?” she said. “He is armed too, and against the Lebanese Army.” |
| “They shouldn’t leave him free,” she added. “He is very dangerous.” | “They shouldn’t leave him free,” she added. “He is very dangerous.” |
| The death toll seemed likely to rise as fighting continued throughout the afternoon. Smoke from several large explosions — possibly mortar shells — could be seen near the mosque on Monday afternoon, as more families fled the area. Witnesses near the mosque said that ambulances shuttled more than 100 wounded people to hospitals, among them both army soldiers and civilians. | |
Barnard from Sidon and Ben Hubbard from Cairo; Hania Mourtada contributed from Beirut, and Hwaida Saad from Sidon. | Barnard from Sidon and Ben Hubbard from Cairo; Hania Mourtada contributed from Beirut, and Hwaida Saad from Sidon. |