Tension between Bab al-Tebbaneh and Jabal Mohsen dates back to civil war

Tension between Bab al-Tebbaneh and Jabal Mohsen dates back to the Lebanese civil war. It has always carried, along with its political dimensions, sectarian ones reflected between the Sunni residents of Bab al-Tebbaneh and the Alawite residents of Jabal Mohsen.        

Though the 2008 Doha agreement has put an end to the repercussions of the May 7 events, Tripoli remained vulnerable. In fact, only one month later, violent clashes erupted in the city. No weapon was spared in the clashes that left behind dozens of victims.    

Tensions lasted until the month of September when the Mufti of Tripoli and the North Sheikh Malek Chaar managed to reconcile between Tripoli’s political leaders, particularly the Sunnis and Alawite, with the help of the then PM Fouad Siniora and Future Movement leader Saad Hariri. Accordingly, a memorandum of understanding was born; it called for restoring civil peace and renouncing violence and confirmed that Tripoli is not a platform for score settling.   

It took one year for the memorandum to wear thin until reconciliation and truce were uprooted in November 2009 when 9 people were wounded in an exchange of gunfire and missiles.    

In November 2010, minor clashes erupted between both rival areas and were later contained by the LAF. However, the greatest security deterioration was marked in June17, 2011 when the situation reached boiling point, leaving 7 killed and dozens of injuries. The LAF later intervened and controlled the situation.   

The bone of contention between both areas will never be laid to rest unless the rival residents bury the hatchet and a real reconciliation takes place between them.