Salem from Tripoli: No Political Cover Granted to Gunmen who are Acting Independently

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

Acting Internal Security Forces chief Brigadier General Roger Salem stressed on Thursday that the security forces will bolster their presence in the northern city of Tripoli in order to contain the clashes and tensions in the area.

He said: “The gunmen are not being granted political cover and they are acting independently.”

He made his remarks during a meeting for security officials in Tripoli and the North to address the recent unrest in the city.

“We are gathered here to today to stand by the residents of Tripoli and we will try out utmost to calm the situation,” declared Salem.

He described the situation as “very dangerous,” adding that the security forces will not leave the residents at the mercy of the gunmen, “whose actions have gotten out of hand”.

Moreover, he linked the recent clashes to the conflict in Syria, saying the that the gunmen are affected by the developments in the neighboring country.

Later on Thursday, former ISF chief General Ashraf Rifi told MTV that the developments in Tripoli are linked to the Syrian unrest, saying that they are aimed at diverting attention from a failed attempt to storm Syria's al-Qusayr region that is located near the Lebanese-Syrian border.

“The Tripoli unrest is aimed at informing the residents of the North that they will pay the price for the failure to storm al-Qusayr,” he remarked of Hizbullah's fighting alongside Syrian regime forces in al-Qusayr.

“Some shortsighted individuals began the Qusayr battle and therefore committed a major sin. They sought to direct attention elsewhere and Tripoli is consequently paying the price of their failure,” he explained.

“We are proud of our sons who are fighting at all fronts in Tripoli, but those attacking the city will pay the price,” added Rifi in reference to the gunmen in the neighborhood of Jabal Mohsen.

At least six people were killed in the northern city of Tripoli overnight, as rival neighborhoods clashed using for the first time different caliber mortars in addition to flares.

The latest round of clashes brought the death toll to at least 12 and the number of wounded to at least 140.

The battles that engulfed the city for a fifth day, kept schools and most companies and markets closed.

The clashes are taking place mainly between the neighborhoods of Bab al-Tabbaneh, which supports the Syrian uprising, and Jabal Mohsen, which supports the Syrian regime.

Comments 4
Thumb mckinl 23 May 2013, 12:48

"Gunmen acting independently" is just a cover story so that the Army isn't sent in to disarm all the Salafists ...

Thumb jcamerican 23 May 2013, 13:12

To be fair, it means they are all politically covered.

Missing dddd 23 May 2013, 13:47

No Political Cover Granted to Gunmen who are Acting Independently ?
Salem! Sallemli 3al fehem!All gunmen and guns are illegal! ALL! except Lebanese Security forces.. outlaws are outlaws

Missing peace 23 May 2013, 17:28

"the developments in Tripoli are linked to the Syrian unrest, saying that they are aimed at diverting attention from a failed attempt to storm Syria's al-Qusayr region"

that is exaclty what is happening....