Beirut - At least one person was wounded Thursday by a hand grenade in the northern city of Tripoli, raising fears an already tense situation might escalate. The grenade was thrown in the Jabal Mohsen area where 23 people were killed in June and July in battles between Sunni supporters of the government and their Damascus-backed rivals from the Alawite community.

Tensions between the two communities eased in the past few weeks after both sides signed a reconciliation accord and the army deployed in the area.

But fears are increasing that the situation could escalate again after a car bomb targeting the army on Monday left at least seven people dead, four of them soldiers, and more than 30 people injured.

No one has claimed responsibility for the latest attack.