Suicide car bomb shakes Lebanese capital Beirut

A suicide bomber has detonated a car bomb near a Lebanese army checkpoint in the capital, Beirut, the BBC reported, citing officials.

The blast, which caused a huge fire, occurred in a southern suburb mainly inhabited by Shia Muslims.

At least 12 people who were watching World Cup football in a nearby cafe were wounded but it is unclear whether anyone else was killed.

Lebanon has suffered a rise in sectarian tension linked to the conflict in neighbouring Syria.

Last week a policeman was killed and 30 people injured when a suicide bomber detonated a car full of explosives in eastern Lebanon.

The latest explosion occurred just after midnight local time (21:00 GMT).

"We were watching the football game and the explosion happened," said eyewitness Zahi Assaf told Reuters news agency.

"We did not know what was happening... then people started running."

Fellow Beirut resident Marwan Shammas said he rushed to the area and "saw people running and screaming, people traumatized."

Previous attacks on Shia areas in Lebanon have been carried out by Sunni extremists who accuse Shia militant group Hezbollah of fighting alongside President Bashar al-Assad's troops in Syria.