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| Lebanese city rocked by bus bomb | Lebanese city rocked by bus bomb |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| At least 16 people have been killed by an explosion in the centre of the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli. | At least 16 people have been killed by an explosion in the centre of the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli. |
| Security officials said a bomb went off close to a bus whose passengers included a number of off-duty soldiers. | Security officials said a bomb went off close to a bus whose passengers included a number of off-duty soldiers. |
| The port city has been the scene of sectarian fighting in recent months in which more than 20 people have died. | The port city has been the scene of sectarian fighting in recent months in which more than 20 people have died. |
| The attack comes a day after the new national unity government won a vote of confidence and as President Michel Suleiman was due to travel to Syria. | The attack comes a day after the new national unity government won a vote of confidence and as President Michel Suleiman was due to travel to Syria. |
| No-one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, which also wounded at least 24 people. | |
| Correspondents said it appeared intended to disrupt the groundbreaking presidential visit, which was hoped to patch up years of stormy relations between the two neighbours. | |
| The bomb went off in Masarif Street in Tripoli's busy commercial district. | The bomb went off in Masarif Street in Tripoli's busy commercial district. |
| TV footage showed the surrounding area spattered with blood and covered in broken glass. The strength of the explosion blew debris and body parts onto nearby roofs. | |
| Troubled city | Troubled city |
| In recent months, Tripoli has seen a series of clashes between the city's majority Sunni Muslim community, who mainly support the anti-Syrian movement, and members of the Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shia Islam, linked to the powerful political and militant group Hezbollah. | |
| Mr Suleiman, the president, was due to travel to Syria on Wednesday for talks with his Syrian counterpart, Bashar al-Assad. | Mr Suleiman, the president, was due to travel to Syria on Wednesday for talks with his Syrian counterpart, Bashar al-Assad. |
| The BBC's Bethany Bell, in Beirut, says his visit marks a gradual thaw in relations between the two countries, which have been strained since the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. | The BBC's Bethany Bell, in Beirut, says his visit marks a gradual thaw in relations between the two countries, which have been strained since the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. |
| They planned to discuss demarcating their shared border and setting up diplomatic relations for the first time since independence in the 1940s. | |
| Many Lebanese blame Syria for the Hariri killing, but Damascus has consistently denied any involvement. | |
| Tuesday's vote gave the formal go-ahead for a government which brings together the anti-Syrian bloc, backed by Western powers and Sunni-led Arab governments, and former opposition groups led by Hezbollah and backed by Syria and Iran. |