Lebanon: Tripoli Fears Chaos, Sectarian Tension

A demonstrator is seen near a bank on fire during unrest, as an economic crisis brings demonstrations back onto the streets in Tripoli, Lebanon April 28, 2020. REUTERS/Omar Ibrahim
A demonstrator is seen near a bank on fire during unrest, as an economic crisis brings demonstrations back onto the streets in Tripoli, Lebanon April 28, 2020. REUTERS/Omar Ibrahim
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Lebanon: Tripoli Fears Chaos, Sectarian Tension

A demonstrator is seen near a bank on fire during unrest, as an economic crisis brings demonstrations back onto the streets in Tripoli, Lebanon April 28, 2020. REUTERS/Omar Ibrahim
A demonstrator is seen near a bank on fire during unrest, as an economic crisis brings demonstrations back onto the streets in Tripoli, Lebanon April 28, 2020. REUTERS/Omar Ibrahim

Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli is on alert in the wake of Saturday’s clashes, which almost developed into broad sectarian confrontations after the spread of insulting videos that provoked the Sunni community.

Since Saturday, the city saw anti-Hezbollah protests and slogans against the party’s secretary-general, Hassan Nasrallah, which could herald an escalation of an underlying sectarian rift.

Former MP Mustafa Alloush, a member of Al-Mustaqbal party, expressed fear that some people would take advantage of the situation to instigate security problems in the city.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Alloush said: “Small extremist groups may take advantage of the lack of wise leaders in the Sunni community in Lebanon in general and Tripoli in particular, to instigate security incidents.”

“What is happening today is an aspect of the ongoing civil war, which started in Lebanon - albeit sporadically - since 2005, when they decided to assassinate Prime Minister Rafik Hariri,” he noted.

According to Alloush, Hezbollah could be behind the recent tension that occurred on the background of provocative religious slogans, but he stressed that the party was the “first beneficiary of what is happening.”

“[Hezbollah] is suffering at this stage from a crisis within its own environment, as a result of difficult social and economic conditions, and therefore it is in its interest to lure others to justify its practices…and gain its community’s support,” He underlined.

Warning that some parties would take advantage of the absence of Sunni leaders, Alloush feared that Tripoli would enter into open chaos as a result of increasing poverty, which could lead to the outbreak of violence.

The head of Tripoli’s municipality, Riad Yamak, described the situation as “uncomfortable, both at the security and social levels.”

“Neglect, poverty and unemployment makes the city vulnerable to violence,” he warned.



Kurdish Fighters Leave Northern City in Syria as Part of Deal with Central Government

A first contingent of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters leave Aleppo, headed for SDF-controlled northeastern Syria, in Aleppo, Syria, 04 April 2025. (EPA)
A first contingent of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters leave Aleppo, headed for SDF-controlled northeastern Syria, in Aleppo, Syria, 04 April 2025. (EPA)
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Kurdish Fighters Leave Northern City in Syria as Part of Deal with Central Government

A first contingent of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters leave Aleppo, headed for SDF-controlled northeastern Syria, in Aleppo, Syria, 04 April 2025. (EPA)
A first contingent of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters leave Aleppo, headed for SDF-controlled northeastern Syria, in Aleppo, Syria, 04 April 2025. (EPA)

Scores of US-backed Kurdish fighters left two neighborhoods in Syria’s northern city of Aleppo Friday as part of a deal with the central government in Damascus, which is expanding its authority in the country.

The fighters left the predominantly Kurdish northern neighborhoods of Sheikh Maksoud and Achrafieh, which had been under the control of Kurdish fighters in Aleppo over the past decade.

The deal is a boost to an agreement reached last month between Syria’s interim government and the Kurdish-led authority that controls the country’s northeast. The deal could eventually lead to the merger of the main US-backed force in Syria into the Syrian army.

The withdrawal of fighters from the US-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) came a day after dozens of prisoners from both sides were freed in Aleppo, Syria’s largest city.

Syria’s state news agency, SANA, reported that government forces were deployed along the road that SDF fighters will use to move between Aleppo and areas east of the Euphrates River, where the Kurdish-led force controls nearly a quarter of Syria.

Sheikh Maksoud and Achrafieh had been under SDF control since 2015 and remained so even when forces of ousted President Bashar al-Assad captured Aleppo in late 2016. The two neighborhoods remained under SDF control when forces loyal to current interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa captured the city in November, and days later captured the capital, Damascus, removing Assad from power.

After being marginalized for decades under the rule of the Assad family rule, the deal signed last month promises Syria’s Kurds “constitutional rights,” including using and teaching their language, which were banned for decades.

Hundreds of thousands of Kurds, who were displaced during Syria’s nearly 14-year civil war, will return to their homes. Thousands of Kurds living in Syria who have been deprived of nationality for decades under Assad will be given the right of citizenship, according to the agreement.

Kurds made up 10% of the country’s prewar population of 23 million. Kurdish leaders say they don’t want full autonomy with their own government and parliament. They want decentralization and room to run their day-to day-affairs.