Jumblat: Tripoli Clashes Demonstrated Army's Bias towards the People

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat voiced on Monday his complete support to the army in its role in “asserting the authority and legitimacy of the state” in the northern city of Tripoli, the North, and throughout Lebanon.

He said in his weekly editorial in the PSP-affiliated al-Anbaa website: “The army once against demonstrated that it is only biased towards protecting the Lebanese people.”

It has exerted all possible efforts to achieve this goal through resolving the clashes in Sidon's Abra region in 2013 and the recent unrest in the northeastern area of Arsal, the Bekaa town of Brital, and in Tripoli, he noted.

“We must salute the Lebanese people's support to the army's efforts, which reflects their awareness of the important role the military institution is playing at this critical moment,” remarked Jumblat.

Moreover, he hailed the recent positions of Mustaqbal Movement leader MP Saad Hariri on the army, saying it was “reminiscent of the historic stance of his father, slain former Premier Rafik Hariri, on the 2000 clashes in the northern region of al-Dinniyeh.”

Tripoli deserves to receive its fair share of interest of development plans that should encompass its port, old historic markets, and other areas, stressed Jumblat.

In January 2000 the Dinniyeh Group, which was led by Bassam Ahmed Kanj, launched a failed attempt to create an Islamist mini-state in northern Lebanon, seizing control of dozens of villages in the mountainous Dinniyeh district.

Clashes erupted in Tripoli between the army and militants on Friday, leaving scores of soldiers, civilians, and gunmen dead.

Soldiers on Monday entered Tripoli's Bab al-Tabbaneh neighborhood where thousands of civilians had fled the fighting over the weekend.

M.T.

G.K.