Salam Says Army's Role Inside Lebanon and on Border
Prime Minister Tammam Salam has stressed that the army's role lies in protecting Lebanese territories and the border area, which stops it from entering other countries.
Sources close to Salam said the prime minister does not object to discussing the issue of the northeastern border town of Arsal during Thursday's session.
Hizbullah and the Free Patriotic Movement have demanded the military to take action against militants from the Islamic State group and al-Qaida-linked al-Nusra Front who are entrenched on the outskirts of Arsal.
They are expected to stir the issue again on Thursday, causing a stormy session. Other ministers in the cabinet reject such a measure by the army.
“The military's mission is to protect Lebanese territories on the border and inside Lebanon. It's not its mission to go out to Syria or non-Syrian territories,” the sources said.
“What will they tell us about Arsal?,” the sources wondered. The file is in our hands in its security and military aspects and on the presence of tens of thousands of Syrian refugees in the area and the case of the captive servicemen.”
“Are they keen on the citizens of Arsal more than us? Do they care about the case of the servicemen more than us?” the sources asked.
The IS and al-Nusra Front took the soldiers and policemen hostage in August last year when they overran Arsal. They have so far executed four of them.
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