Suicide attack at Lebanese cafe kills at least seven

The Nusra Front, al Qaeda’s official affiliate in the Syrian civil war, said it carried out the double suicide attack in the predominantly Alawite district of Jabal Mohsen " in revenge for the Sunnis in Syria and Lebanon ". The statement appeared on a Twitter feed operated by the group’s media arm.

Lebanon’s National News Agency gave the names of two suicide attackers it said were from Tripoli, an overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim city whose long - standing sectarian tensions have been exacerbated by the Syrian civil war.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry said the attack killed seven people. Other officials put the death toll at nine. Three dozen people were wounded.

Prime Minister Tammam Salam said in a statement the attack was " a new attempt to spread the seeds of strife " in Tripoli and would not " weaken the determination of the state and its decision to confront terrorism and terrorists ".

The army said the attack was carried out by a lone suicide bomber, though its investigations were still underway. The National News Agency said the second bomber had blown himself up as people gathered in response to the first blast.

Lebanon’s security has been repeatedly jolted by the Syria crisis, which has also helped paralyze its government: the country has been without a head of state since May.

Tripoli, Lebanon’s second biggest city, has historically been a bastion for Sunni Islamist groups, making it a concern for Lebanese security agencies that have warned of plans by ISILand the Nusra Front to destabilize the country.

Militants linked to Islamic State and the Nusra Front mounted an attack on the Lebanese border town of Arsal last August. They are still holding around two dozen members of the security forces taken captive in that incursion.