The Lebanese army defused tensions in the northern city of Tripoli on Sunday, which had been sparked by clashes along the Syrian coast.

The army deployed overnight on Friday in areas separating Sunni and Alawite neighborhoods in Tripoli to contain any spillover from the violence in neighboring Syria.

Angry protesters took to the streets of Tripoli after news spread of the stabbing of a minor from Syria’s Idlib. Lebanon’s National News Agency later clarified that the minor was actually Lebanese.

Soon after, rumors began circulating on social media that Ahmed Bitar, a man from the predominantly Alawite neighborhood of Jabal Mohsen in Tripoli, was responsible for the attack.

The protesters blocked the Baqqar road leading to Jabal Mohsen, while tensions escalated in the Qobbeh neighborhood, with people demanding the arrest of the perpetrator.

The situation quickly escalated into a gunfight, causing panic among residents. The army responded swiftly, deploying heavily in the area and restoring calm.

The Supreme Alawite Council issued a statement warning that "civil peace and security stability are a red line." The statement revealed that Bitar had complied with calls to surrender to the authorities.

“We have full trust in the security forces to carry out their duties, reveal the circumstances of the crime, and uncover the truth,” the statement read.

“Tripoli has been, and will continue to be, a model of national unity that rejects strife,” it added.

A security source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the tensions in Tripoli were fueled by social media posts, and that there was no foreign interference or political incitement involved.

The army acted quickly to contain the situation, deploying extensively in Tripoli. Sunni and Alawite leaders in the city were contacted to help ease tensions and prevent the unrest in Syria from spilling over into Lebanon.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Syrian Alawites sought refuge in northern Lebanon to escape the violence along the Syrian coast.

Security sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Syrians were crossing into Lebanon through illegal routes and heading to predominantly Alawite villages or to Jabal Mohsen.

Exact figures have not been reported due to the illegal nature of the crossings, but media reports and local sources suggest that more than 10,000 people have entered from Syria in the past three days.