Spillover Violence from Syria Kills 10 in Lebanon

Lebanese soldiers battled armed followers of a Sunni Muslim cleric in the city of Sidon on Sunday in a violent struggle said to be a sectarian function of the Syrian civil war. 10 soldiers died in the skirmish. The violence in the port city just south of Beirut began a week ago when Sunnis battled Shiites over the Syrian issue. On Sunday, armed chaos erupted when police arrested a Sunni sheik’s follower at a checkpoint prompting other supporters to pour into the streets to do battle with the soldiers. The death toll included 8 Lebanese troops and 2 Sunni gunmen. In response, the army has deployed in Sidon and in areas across Beirut considered to be flash points.