Soldiers Killed in Lebanon Fighting
BEIRUT—At least 10 Lebanese army soldiers were killed in clashes with supporters of a radical Sunni leader Sunday, putting new strain on the military, one of the few institutions that has largely remained above the sectarian fray in the politically fragmented country.
The day-long clashes in the southern port city of Sidon marked the first direct fighting between the army and a domestic faction since the crisis in neighboring Syria began to spill over into Lebanon.
Local media reported that the fighting erupted after a supporter of Sunni Sheikh Ahmed al-Assir was stopped at an army checkpoint.
Mr. Al-Assir is a staunch critic of the Syrian regime and of Hezbollah, an armed Lebanese Shiite group that has recently escalated its involvement in Syria's conflict, fighting alongside the Syrian government.
Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, is the strongest military force in Lebanon. But the army is the largest security institution in which all sects participate, and Lebanese generally look to it to provide stability and work in the national interest.
Analysts say that rising frustration among Sunnis—most of whom support the Syrian rebels—with Hezbollah and the army's perceived closeness to it has strengthened radical elements such as Mr. al-Assir, who are challenging the country's traditional Sunni leadership.
Official state media reported 10 soldiers were killed and 35 injured, marking the highest single-day death toll for the army at the hands of a Lebanese faction since 11 were killed in 1999.
Mr. al-Assir indicated on his Twitter account that some of his supporters had also been killed, but didn't elaborate. He said wounded civilians near the Bilal mosque in Sidon could not get to the hospital because of "continuous" shelling over nine hours.
He also said after the terms of a cease fire had been agreed upon, the army attempted to storm the mosque and that it was still being shelled late Sunday night. One local television station said a 10-year-old child was injured by gunfire, while some people were hiding inside shops for safety.
The army said that soldiers were targeted "in cold blood" in an attempt to sow strife in the country. It called on authorities in the city to openly declare their backing for the army.
Saad Hariri, a former prime minister and a powerful Sunni political figure who comes from Sidon, criticized what he called Hezbollah's provocations in Sidon, but said that such acts didn't justify using arms against the Lebanese army and security forces.
Five days ago, clashes between Mr. al-Assir's supporters and Hezbollah supporters left one person dead and three injured. Mr. al-Assir had issued an ultimatum to Hezbollah to leave two apartments it has in the city by Monday.
In a YouTube video, Mr. Al-Assir called for "honorable people"—Sunnis and non-Sunnis—to leave the army. He also called on his supporters to block roads—a call that was apparently heeded in Tripoli, a predominantly Sunni city in north Lebanon.
Gunshots could be heard on a live television feed from Tripoli, where burning tires blocked main intersections without any apparent army intervention. Sunni clergymen in the city called on the army to cease firing.
State media reported that a rocket-propelled grenade was fired at an army point in Tripoli late Sunday. There were no reports of casualties.
Sunni areas of Beirut saw similar attempts to block traffic, but they were mostly thwarted by a military deployment throughout the capital.
Television footage earlier showed a huge plume of black smoke rising from Sidon and live rounds of machine gunfire could be heard.
Hillal Khashan, a political-science professor at the American University of Beirut and a resident of Sidon, said the seriousness of the violence could lead to more attacks against the army in Sunni areas.
"Sunnis already believe that the army is biased against them," he said. "Dispersing al-Assir's supporters may lead to militarizing the Sunni mood in Lebanon.''
The fighting also appeared to have contributed to a national electricity stoppage when one of the country's main power plants there became disconnected from the national grid. The government said repair crews were unable to immediately reach the area due to the fighting.
A Sidon resident reached by phone said a stray bullet entered her home. "They have been shooting guns and rockets nonstop for five hours now. I'm sure there will be many casualties," she said adding they had packed their bags, but it is too dangerous to leave.
Lebanon's education minister said Sidon public school exams scheduled for Monday were postponed due to security concerns.
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Source: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323998604578563542008771094.html
