Syria’s civil war spread to the streets of Lebanon when at least five people died in gun battles between rival factions.
Alawite forces loyal to Syria’s president Bashar al-Assad fought Sunnis, who support Syria’s rebels, in the coastal city of Tripoli wounding 45 people.
The Lebanese army fanned out to calm the fighting, with soldiers patrolling the streets in armoured personnel carriers and manning checkpoints. Major roads were closed because of sniper fire.
Tensions in Tripoli have intensified this week as reports claimed that 17 Lebanese Sunni fighters were killed inside Syria, after they joined the rebellion against Assad.
Meanwhile, UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon warned Mr Assad not to use his stockpiles of chemical weapons, warning of ‘huge consequences’ if he did. ‘I again urge in the strongest possible terms that they must not consider using this kind of deadly weapons of mass destruction,’ he said.
Syria has been careful not to confirm that it has chemical weapons and the regime insists it would never use them against its people.
Mr Assad has vowed to ‘live and die’ in Syria, but as the violence grinds on, there is speculation that he might seek asylum.