U.N., U.S. Embassy Call for Rallying around Army to Confront Terrorism

The United Nations deplored the deadly blast that hit the Bekaa town of Hermel on Saturday evening, stressing that embracing the military institution is “the only way to face these random terrorist actions.”

"We strongly condemn the car bombing in Hermel which killed and wounded a number of people,” U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Derek Plumbly said in a released statement.

He continued: “We call on all Lebanese to rally around their state institutions, including the army and security forces, as the best means to confront such unacceptable and indiscriminate terrorist actions and to safeguard their country's security and stability.”

Plumbly hoped that those responsible for Saturday's bombing and for “all other acts of terrorism will be brought to justice as soon as possible.”

Meanwhile, the United States' embassy also condemned the bombing, urging “all parties to exercise restraint and refrain from contributing to the cycle of violence.”

“We regret that the people of Hermel have once again been subjected to an act of reprehensible terrorism,” the embassy said in a released statement.

“We renew our call for the full implementation of the Baabda Declaration, the U.N. Security Council resolutions 1559 and 1701, and the Taif Agreement,” it added.

It continued: “We urge all parties to exercise restraint and refrain from contributing to the cycle of violence. We reaffirm our support for the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Internal Security Forces in their role in maintaining Lebanon’s security and call for the perpetrators of this attack to be brought to justice.”

A number of people were either killed or wounded in an explosion that targeted Hermel earlier in the day, less than a month after a blast killed three people and wounded 26 others in the same Bekaa town.