Tripoli MPs Follow Up Situation in City, Express Relief at Stability

The seventh periodic meeting for the northern city of Tripoli was held on Friday at the residence of MP Mohammed Kabbara.

The gatherers expressed relief with the stable situation in the city and hailed the measures taken by the security forces in the area.

They discussed the living conditions in Tripoli in a telephone call with Prime Minister Najib Miqati.

The lawmakers decided to task the Higher Relief Council to perform the necessary surveys to the damage inflicted by the recent clashes in the area as of Monday in coordination with the Lebanese army.

They also decided to cover the medical expenses for the victims of the clashes, to compensate the material damage during the upcoming cabinet session, to urge the municipalities to provide the necessary services, and to follow up all the necessary security measures in an attempt to return life to the affected areas.

The meeting was held in the presence of Minister Ahmed Karami, representing Miqati, Ahmed al-Safadi, representing Finance Minister Mohammed al-Safadi, MPs Samir al-Jisr, Khaled al-Daher, Bader Wannous, al-Jamaa al-Islamiya's politburo chief Azzam al-Ayyoubi and several other figures and security officials.

Life slowly returned to normal in Tripoli after six days of gunbattles in August between the rival neighborhoods of Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen, which left scores of casualties.

On August 31, state commissioner to the military court Judge Saqr Saqr charged seven detainees, including a Palestinian, with opening fire at the army in gunbattles in Tripoli.

Saqr referred the seven men to the military examining magistrate, urging him to issue arrest warrants to reveal the identities of their accomplices.

The assailants were also charged with attempted murder and the possession of arms without a license.