2 killed in clash over banner

2008-09-17 21:39

Triploi - Two people were killed and three wounded early Wednesday in north Lebanon in armed clashes between rival Christian clans over a banner, a security official told AFP.

He said the violence in Bsarma, near the northern port city of Tripoli, pitted members of the Lebanese Forces, an anti-Syrian movement, against members of the Marada party of pro-Syrian politician Suleiman Franjieh.

The Lebanese army immediately intervened and set up checkpoints in the area.

The clashes broke out after Marada members tried to prevent a banner being put up for a ceremony on September 21 commemorating the Lebanese Forces.

"The Lebanese Forces had put up the banner the day before and it was taken down and they came back overnight to display it again," the official said.

Lebanese Forces member Pierre Ishak and Yussef Franjieh of the rival Marada party were killed, while a policeman was among the three people wounded. Marada accused the Lebanese Forces of provoking the incident.

The defence ministry meanwhile ordered an indefinite ban from Wednesday on gun permits, with the exception of weapons carried by the bodyguards of diplomats, cabinet ministers and lawmakers.

The bloodshed came after a string of security incidents across Lebanon that have raised fears of a return to the sectarian violence that left 65 people dead in May and brought the country close to civil war.

The latest violence broke out a day after rival Lebanese factions launched reconciliation talks aimed at resolving their differences.

- AFP