By Xinhua,
Beirut : The death toll in a bus explosion in Lebanon’s northern city Tripoli Wednesday morning rose to 11, with some 40 others injured, local ANB TV reported.
At least eight of the killed were Lebanese army soldiers, said the report, adding that the explosion occurred at 7:44 am (04:44 GMT) in the Banks Street near a bus station used by army soldiers to gather for taking the buses to their service positions around the country.
Local TV footage showed a small public bus riddled with shrapnel from the blast, while shattered glass could be seen in the street in Tripoli’s center.
According to local LBC TV report, the bomb was placed on the banking street among the belongings of the army soldiers who were gathering to take the buses.
Tripoli has been the scene of sectarian clashes between pro-government Sunni and opposition Alawait supporters in the past months, leaving at least 23 people killed.
The Lebanese army was deployed in the region to disengage fighters.