Tripoli, Lebanon | May 13, 2012

At least three were killed and tens were wounded on Sunday, May 13, in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli as clashes erupted between two rival neighborhoods over the legitimacy of the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad.
One of the victims was an army soldier and the other two were civilians according to the Lebanese state-run National News Agency (NNA).
The street gun battle started early Sunday after a projectile was shot at one of the Sunni neighborhoods, causing fighting between gunmen from the largely Sunni residents of Bab al-Tabbaneh neighborhood hostile to the Syrian regime and the Alwaites of Jabal Mohsen neighborhood that support Assad.
The army finally managed to restore calmness to the area.
Since the uprising in Syria erupted mid-March 2011, the Sunni-majority Tripoli has been the scene of intense clashes between Sunni supporters of Syrian rebels and the Alawite Muslims loyal to Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran and Syria.

Local News Agency: Middle East Bureau / VCS
Shooting Dateline: May 13, 2012
Shooting Location: Tripoli, Lebanon
Publishing Time: May 13, 2012
Length: 0:01:43
Video Size: 101 MB
Language: Arabic
Column:
Organized by:
Correspondent:
Camera: VCS

SHOTLIST:
1- Various shots of the streets where the clashes took place
2- Various shots of a resident showing the mark of a projectile making a hole in the ground and saying it came from the nearby neighborhood
3- Various shots of a group of men carrying guns and moving around one of the streets, one of them wearing army uniform, while gunfire heard in the background
4- Various shots of Various shots of men at a street in Tripoli shooting using guns and hiding after shooting
5- Medium shot, a young boy carrying a gun and hiding in one of the buildings
6- Various shots of the buildings of a neighborhood and a man shooting from a window in one of the buildings
7- Various shots of the buildings and the streets while gunfire heard in the background

Tripoli, Lebanon | May 13, 2012

Armed clashes reignited between pro and anti-Syrian regimes in two neighborhoods in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli Monday, May 14, killing at least two, and injuring twenty according to Lebanese medical reports.

Other Lebanese reports quoted security sources as saying that the number of victims rose to three, and 45 were injured.
Intermittent gunfire is ongoing in the area.

The Lebanese army has deployed a number of armored vehicles at Bab al-Tabbaneh, a Sunni neighborhood hostile to the Syrian regime, and Jabal Mohsen, an Al-Waite neighborhood that supports the regime of Bashar al-Assad.

The gun battles started early Sunday morning after a projectile was shot into the Sunni neighborhood from the Al-Waite.

The recent tension in Tripoli was initiated when Lebanese authorities arrested a Salafi cleric to interrogate him over possible connections to "a terrorist organization.”

The Sunni-majority in Tripoli has been a theater for conflict between Sunnis and Al-Waites since the revolt in Syria erupted in mid-March 2011.

Story: Tripoli Gun Clashes Renew
Local News Agency: Middle East Bureau / VCS
Shooting Dateline: May 13, 2012
Shooting Location: Tripoli, Lebanon
Publishing Time: May 13, 2012
Length: 0:01:43
Video Size: 101 MB
Language: Arabic
Column:
Organized by:
Correspondent:
Camera: VCS

SHOTLIST:
1. Various shots of the streets where the clashes took place while gunfire heard in the background
2. Various shots of bullet cartridges scattered on the ground of the street while gunfire heard in the background
3. Various shots of militants shooting and hiding in the street
4. Medium shot, militants hiding in a room and shooting from a hole in the wall
5. Medium shot, blood stains on the ground
6. Medium shot, a damaged car in the street
7. Wide shot, two young men blocking the street with wheel barrows
8. Various shots of men running in the street and gunfire heard in the background
9. Wide shot, security armored vehicles passing in the fighting area
10. Wide shot, militants standing together outside a building
11. Various shots of the neighborhood and the gunfire marks and damages shown on buildings

Tripoli, Lebanon | May 15, 2012

Order was partially restored as Lebanese army forces deployed to the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli on Tuesday, May 15, to bring to an end the violent clashes between the two rival neighborhoods of Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen that resulted in at least eight people, and wounded more than 70.

Armed forces with armored vehicles scrambled to the area, and began erecting checkpoints, particularly along a primarily Syrian Street which runs between Bab al-Tabbaneh a neighborhood of Sunni residents who oppose Syrian President Bashar Assad, and Jabal Mohsen whose Alawite residents are supporters of the Syrian regime.

The Lebanese Army said in a statement that its presence in Tripoli was only to protect the civilians not to clash with them.
However, the people of Bab al-Tabbaneh have accused the army of being biased toward Jabal Mohsen.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic) – Sunni woman:
"The army comes here peacefully and safely. Why did they start shooting the people and the innocent civilians. Why do they not harm those of Jabal Mohsen in any way? Is it because they are backed by the party of evil (referring to Hezbollah)? We want to understand. We are humans like them. Why are they favored over us? What law or constitution requires humiliation of the Sunni people in particular?"

SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic) – Sunni man:
"The army is biased to one party, which we do not accept. We have three injuries here. The three were unarmed, uninvolved and had nothing to do the fighting. Why should we allow ourselves to be attacked by the Lebanese army? Why is the army biased to Jabal Mohsen? They are the ones who started it. The Alawites of Jabal Mohsen believe that whoever kills a Sunni will go to Heaven! In what religion or Shariah can this be accepted?"

Security Sources said that the army has orders to arrest any gunmen and transfer them to the Military Tribunal.

Clashes erupted early Sunday between two families, Sunni opponents and Alawite supporters of Assad, after the controversial arrest of a Muslim Sunni cleric over connection to "an armed terrorist group.”