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Lebanese army commander stresses harsh response to gunmen in Tripoli

30 October 2012 22:27 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Lebanese army commander on Tuesday warned the gunmen in the northern port city of Tripoli against further assaults, calling on troops to intensify patrols and respond to gunfire harshly, APA reports quoting official National News Agency.

Commander Jean Qahwaji said as he inspected the military units deployed in Tripoli that "there are undisciplined groups which benefited from the tense political situations to tamper with citizens’ security."

Qahwaji stressed the army "will not be lenient with them," underlining the need to take the strictest measures to keep the security situation in Tripoli under control and prevent the " importing or exporting of strife."

The army deployed last Tuesday in the city’s Syria Street, the clash frontier between two conflicting sides, Jabal Mohsen and Bab al-Tabbaneh.

A cease-fire was declared following the recent clashes sparked by the assassination of Intelligence Bureau chief Maj. Gen. Wissam al-Hasan in a deadly car bombing in Beirut that killed at least six and wounded more than 100 people.

The army units have arrested around 100 gunmen, including 34 Syrians and four Palestinians, in a security sweep in Beirut and Tripoli following the clashes.