Naharnet

Higher Defense Council Discusses Tripoli Unrest

The Higher Defense Council convened at the Baabda Palace on Sunday in order to discuss the latest round of clashes in the northern city of Tripoli.

Council spokesman Major General Adnan Merheb announced after the meeting: “The conferees addressed the security situation in Tripoli and the measures taken by the army in the city.”

He added that the meeting also addressed the general security situation in Lebanon.

The decisions of the meeting will remain confidential.

It was attended by President Michel Suleiman, Prime Minister Najib Miqati, deputy Premier Samir Moqbel, Interior Minister Marwan Charbel, Finance Minister Mohammed al-Safadi, Defense Minister Fayez Ghosn, Economy Minister Nicolas Nahhas, Army Commander Jean Qahwaji, General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim, acting Internal Security Forces chief Wajih Salem, and a number of security officials.

Clashes erupted in Tripoli over a week ago in light of news of the death of a number of Lebanese fighters, who mainly hail from the North, in the Syrian border town of Tall Kalakh.

Conflicting reports emerged over the exact number of fighters who were killed in an ambush by Syrian regime forces.

Four people were killed overnight in the clashes between the rival neighborhoods of Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen, bringing the toll of the latest round of fighting to 17.


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