TRIPOLI (Lebanon), July 27: Hundreds of people were still homeless on Sunday after the latest bout of deadly sectarian fighting in the northern Lebanese port city of Tripoli.

“The army has barred residents from returning to some areas because there are unexploded grenades from the fighting and the troops are defusing them one by one,” a security official said.

Army reinforcements were sent to Tripoli on Saturday after militants from the rival Muslim communities agreed to halt clashes that erupted early on Friday, killing nine people and wounding dozens more.

Fighters battled with rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons causing massive damage to property and sending hundreds of people fleeing for cover from the neighbouring districts of Bab al-Tebbaneh and Jabal Mohsen.

On Sunday, the army shot and wounded a suspect during

a shootout in Bab el-Tebbaneh, the security official said, adding that the gunman had been wanted for opening fire on troops on Saturday and was now in their custody. But he said the situation had been calm up throughout the day until then.

A source from the Future Movement of Sunni leader Saad Hariri said almost 2,200 families fled their homes in mainly Sunni district of Bab al-Tebbaneh and the mostly Alawite area of Jabal Mohsen.—AFP