'al Qaeda-Hariri gunmen fighting the Lebanese National Army'
[BBC] "...Lebanon's army has urged the country's political leaders to show caution when expressing their opinions, in a bid to calm "unprecedented" tensions....
The worst clashes were in Tripoli in the north, where at least three people died as gunmen exchanged fire. Soldiers have been deployed in the capital Beirut, where there have been sporadic clashes.
In a statement, the army urged "all political leaders to be cautious when expressing their stances and opinions" and in attempting to mobilise public action "because the fate of the nation is at stake"....
The BBC's Wyre Davies in Beirut says the army is a widely respected institution in Lebanon that has often been required to stand between the country's diverse political and religious factions....
A group of angry protesters broke away from the funeral, held at the Rafik Hariri mosque, and attempted to storm the prime minister's office. Police fired into the air and used tear gas to break up the crowds.
Overnight, protesters set up road blocks in the capital. Exchanges of gunfire were reported in the city overnight and on Monday morning in Tariq al-Jadida. Continue reading the main storyThe army launched a major security operation in the morning, sending troops backed by armoured personnel carriers on to the streets to restore calm and re-open roads.
Serious clashes were reported in Tripoli on Sunday evening, where two children were among at least three people killed...."
