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Download Lebanese troops and gunmen exchanged fire in Beirut's southern suburbs on Monday, wounding five people, deepening a political crisis following the assassination of a senior intelligence official, security and medical sources said. Four people were also killed, including a 9-year-old girl, and 12 wounded in clashes between gunmen in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli, the sources said. The violence heightened fears that the civil war in neighboring Syria could be spreading into Lebanon, upsetting its delicate political balance and threatening to usher in a new era of sectarian bloodshed. Lebanon's army said on Monday the nation faced a critical phase after Brigadier General Wissam al-Hassan, an intelligence chief, and two others were killed and 126 wounded on October 19 in a car bombing, which prompted violent protests across the country. "We call on all political leaders to be cautious when expressing their stances and opinions," said a statement by the army, adding that it would take "decisive measures" to prevent chaos in areas of high tension. China on Monday condemned the car bomb attack and called for a timely investigation of the incident. "China is firmly opposed to terrorism in all its forms, and strongly condemns the terrorist attack in Beirut," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei at a regular news conference on Monday. "We hope the truth of the incident will be found out as soon as possible," Hong said. | 
