Miqati: Army Will Respond Without Hesitation to Sources of Tripoli Fire
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati promised on Thursday that the Lebanese army will not hesitate to open fire on gunmen involved in the fighting in the northern city of Tripoli.
In remarks to pan-Arab daily al-Hayat, Miqati said: “The military will respond without hesitation to the sources of fire from any side they came because the city's residents have the right to live in peace.”
“There is no turning back,” he stressed.
He reiterated that the army command does not need any political cover for its actions. “The orders have been given to all its units deployed in Tripoli to preserve security fairly and in a balanced manner.”
Miqati told the newspaper that the command briefed him on the plan it has implemented in the city after the fighting which has pitted Alawite residents of the neighborhood of Jabal Mohsen against Sunnis from Bab al-Tabbaneh began going out of control.
The violence is tied to the conflict in Syria, where a Sunni-led uprising is fighting to overthrow the regime of President Bashar Assad, an Alawite.
The army's units are highly equipped, Miqati said.
He hoped that all bickering parties would cooperate with the military institution to prevent the eruption of a new round of fighting.
The army command vowed in a communique on Wednesday to take “decisive measures irrespective of political meddling” to end the gunbattles.
It said that the army had at first addressed the fighting with wisdom to allow the city's officials to deal with the situation. But the conditions set by them in addition to the attacks carried out by the gunmen on the army have increased the number of casualties.
06 June 2013, 08:29
30
So this basically means the Lebanese Army is to single-handedly beat down the FSA elements in North Lebanon... Good luck with that! If they can't even control Arsal, this will be a bloodbath.
06 June 2013, 08:57
03
The army should disarm everyone in Lebanon, from tripoli to tyre via Dahye and baalbek.
06 June 2013, 09:27
00
Now that the PMs have reelected themselves it appears that some solutions may be on the table for Tripoli. The violence Tripoli has become the metaphor for Lebanese governance. Reports of the violence are reported internationally.
All the while Tripoli festers politicians complain about the lack of tourism,lack of investment, the declining economy and unrest yet only now do we see real action on a situation that has been going on for months. How committed is the government? We shall see.
06 June 2013, 09:48
02
They cop a loss in Qusair and now the extremit terrorists seek revenge from Jabal Mohsen Alawites.. Same old story.
06 June 2013, 10:06
01
No one is laughing ... the situation in Tripoli is a black eye for all of Lebanon and a disgrace for the government. Tripoli is reported internationally.
Tourism, investment, the Lebanese economy are all being hurt by the violence in Tripoli thanks to the criminal negligence of the Lebanese government.
06 June 2013, 16:35
00
mikati... I thought you were supporting those gunmen of bab el tebbaneh.. Now you want the army to attack them?
06 June 2013, 16:51
00
Lebanon first
why wouldn't the army attack anyone if they don't obey orders
the motto should be < Shoot first, question later>
that's the only way these tugs would understand
Nobody in Lebanon has those balls, they all are bought off by some party
That's the tragidy
06 June 2013, 16:51
00
Lebanon first
why wouldn't the army attack anyone if they don't obey orders
the motto should be < Shoot first, question later>
that's the only way these tugs would understand
Nobody in Lebanon has those balls, they all are bought off by some party
That's the tragidy
07 June 2013, 11:00
00
I wish you could do the same statement against Hizbo and Shias. U the Number 1 Sunni in Lebanon. Even if the Army stop the Tripoli clashes it will be unfair coz they cannot do it in Dahie and the Camps!
