Tripoli, 28 May:
A man was killed and shops set on fire in downtown Tripoli today when rivalry between two families in the cassette and CD trade turned violent.
The clashes started this morning as a row between two men from two local families, the Makhlouf and the Fakheri outside the latters shop in the capital’s Dahra district. No guns were said to be involved but there were knives. Quickly the clash escalated as other members of the families joined in. In the fighting, the shop was set on fire and and a member of the Fakhari family was killed.
In the early evening, the Makhlouf family shop, in the neighbouring Zawiat Al-Dahmani district, was burned down, reportedly by members and friends of the Fakheri family.
Locals deny rumours of that the conflict had its roots in a drugs supply rivalry.
So far no one has been arrested for either of the attacks. When contacted, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry, which is in charge of policing, said he knew nothing of the incident.