Four Killed in Lebanon Clashes in more violence stoked by war in Syria

Four people were killed in clashes in Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on Monday, security sources said, in more violence stoked by war in neighboring Syria.

 The overnight clashes in Tripoli ended a week of relative calm after 29 people were killed last month in the deadliest fighting yet between gunmen who support the uprising against Bashar al-Assad and Alawite supporters of the Syrian president.

 At least one of the dead came from the Sunni Muslim Bab Tabbaneh neighborhood, and 27 people were wounded, mainly by sniper fire in the city center, the sources in Tripoli said.

 "We ask the Lebanese state to get rid of this criminal element. Get them out of this area, we are asking for nothing more. We are civilians, as you can see, and we are not fighting anyone. All snipers are from that side [the criminal element],'' said Lebanese citizen Abou Moustafa.

 Lebanon is struggling to curb the spillover of violence from Syria, where 80,000 people have died in the last two years.

 Twelve people were killed on Sunday just inside Lebanon in a fight between pro-Assad Hezbollah guerrillas and Syrian rebels.