Police: Lebanon fighting leaves 1 civilian dead

BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) -- Lebanese police say sectarian fighting in the northern city of Tripoli has killed one person and wounded 10.

The state-run National News Agency, citing two police officials, reports that clashes between Sunni Muslim gunmen and the Alawite broke out at dawn Friday when a hand grenade was thrown toward a Sunni area. The Alawite is a small offshoot of Shiite Islam, allied with Syria and the Lebanese opposition.

The police officials say fighting escalated as automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenades were used between the Sunni Bab el-Tabaneh district and the predominantly Alawite Jabal Mohsen neighborhood. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to speak to the media.

Fighting has occurred repeatedly in the area in the past weeks.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)