Beirut - Most of Lebanon's Sunni and Shiite Muslims were united in common religious observance on Monday, the first day of the fasting month of Ramadan. On the political front, however, disunity still rules.

"At least we agreed to start fasting on the same day," said a Sunni resident of the neighbourhood of Tarek Jedidah, which witnessed clashes between the two sects in May.

The annual fast begins the day after the sighting of the crescent moon that marks the beginning of a new lunar month of Ramadan. Some Muslim authorities use astronomical calculations, while others rely on the naked eye alone, leading to different starting times.

Around 20 per cent of Lebanon's Shiite population use the Ramadan timings followed in Iran - sponsor of Lebanese militant movement Hezbollah, whose followers will begin fasting on Tuesday.

The timing differences underline the country's political fragmentation even at a time of Muslim celebration.

Tension between Sunni and Shiite sects over who has political control has been particularly fierce of late in the north of the country.

On Sunday, a Muslim Sheikh (religious leader) was killed and three people wounded in a gunbattle between the rival communities in a village in northern Lebanon.

The shooting erupted between Sunni Muslims and Alawites (a Shiite sect from which Syria's ruling dynasty is drawn) in the village of Sheikh Lar in the northern region of Akkar, security officials said. Rescue workers were unable to enter because of the intensity of the fighting late Sunday, the officials said.

The victim has been identified as Ezzedin Qassem, the imam of the mosque in a neighbouring village.

Three other people were hurt in the shootout, the sources said, adding that automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades were used in the fighting, which was triggered by a "dispute between villagers."

The village lies about 50 kilometres north of the port city of Tripoli, the scene of a spate of deadly clashes between the two communities which each support rival political factions.

In June and July, 23 people were killed in battles between Sunni supporters of Prime Minister Fouad Seniora and their Damascus-backed rivals from the Alawite community who support Hezbollah.

Sheikh Lar is also home to Maronite Christians.

Also on Sunday, Amal movement supporters, who were returning from a rally in Nabatiyeh in the south, engaged in a clashes with youths near Corniche Mazraa's Abdel Nasser Mosque inside the capital.

Lebanese army sources said the army intervened and quickly ended the clash, which resulted in material damage only.

The recent tension has proven that the security situation in Lebanon is still fragile, even after rival groups reached an accord in Doha in May to end a week of bloody sectarian clashes that resulted in killing of 82 people. (dpa)