Gun battles in Lebanon as Syrian war spreads

At least seven people were killed and dozens wounded in gun battles in the Lebanese capital Beirut and coastal Tripoli in further unrest linked to the conflict in neighbouring Syria.

The clashes have heightened fears that Syria’s civil war with its sectarian dimensions is now spreading into Lebanon, pitting local allies and opponents of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad against each other.

The Lebanese army promised decisive action to quell the violence, which was sparked by the assassination of a senior intelligence officer last week.