Lebanon clashes spread to capital

Dubai: Residents of the Lebanese capital Beirut on Monday braced for renewed sectarian clashes linked to the unrest in Syria after overnight battles between pro- and anti-Syrian groups left three people dead.

"I pray to God that we don't end up living a new civil war but sadly I don't know how we can avoid the flare-up," Abed Ali, 21, a student living in the Tareek Al Jdideh district of west Beirut, where the clashes took place, said.

Many residents have decided to stay indoors or seek refuge in the quieter mountainous areas around Beirut.

The violence erupted hours after a prominent Sunni cleric opposed to the regime of Syrian President Bashar Al Assad was killed by the army in northern Lebanon when his car reportedly failed to stop at a checkpoint.

"The best way for Al Assad's regime to stay in power is to spark a war here," Ali added. "I hope we don't fall into the trap."