Phalange Party Warns of 'Culture of Suicide Bombers,' Urges Controlling Border, Refugee Camps' Entrances
Phalange party's political bureau warned on Monday of “the exported culture of suicide bombers” in the country, calling for controlling the border and the entrances of refugee camps.
“We strongly condemn the attacks against troops and we consider it a dangerous development of events,” the party said in a released statement after the political bureau's weekly meeting.
"The attack targeted the last strongholds of military and security legitimacy and the last line of defense of stability and security in the country,” the statement added.
"We warn of the exported culture of suicide bombers and we call for controlling the border and monitoring the entrances of refugee camps and of assemblies.”
It also urged seeking the help of UNIFIL troops, noting that United Nations Security Council resolution 1701 allows expanding their mission to include such tasks.
One soldier and four gunmen died on Sunday evening in near-simultaneous attacks on two army checkpoints in Sidon – one of them involving a suicide bomber.
In the first attack, an unidentified attacker hurled a hand grenade at an army checkpoint on Sidon's northern entrance in the al-Awwali area, prompting troops to retaliate, which left a gunman dead and a soldier wounded.
According to LBCI television, the army scoured the groves that lie near the al-Awwali checkpoint and closed the road for a while.
Soon after the army intensified its patrols in the area, another attack targeted one of its checkpoints in the Sidon suburb of Majdelyoun.
State-run National News Agency said three gunmen attacked the checkpoint at the Majdelyoun-Bqosta intersection, noting that one of them blew himself up while the other two were killed by troops.
At dawn, the army issued a statement saying Sergeant Samer Youssef Rizk was killed in the Majdelyoun attack.
The politburo stressed on following-up with the security plan implemented in the northern city of Tripoli to ensure stability and urged “benefiting from the current calm to deal with the roots of the problem.”
"We hail the stances voiced by the March 14 General Secretariat that assure that Tripoli is a city of openness, moderation and dialogue.”
Separately, the conferees also warned against an expansion of political vacuum in Lebanon, calling for forming a cabinet that prepares for holding presidential elections on time.
"A cabinet would ensure electing a president locally without foreign interference,” they said. “It is a factor that would regulate the work of institutions and assure balance between authorities.”
The added: “A new cabinet would also tackled pending issues such as reaching consensus over a just electoral law and dealing with economical problems.”
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