Army Starts Removing Jabal Mohsen Barricades, Eid Voices Reservation and Kabbara Gives 48-Hour Ultimatum

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Army units on Tuesday launched a crackdown on gunmen in Jabal Mohsen and started removing barricades and sandbags from the Tripoli neighborhood, ahead of taking the same measures in the adjacent districts.

Abdul Latif Saleh, spokesman for the Arab Democratic Party, the main political and military force in Jabal Mohsen, welcomed the step but demanded a similar crackdown in the rival neighborhood of Bab al-Tabbaneh.

For his part, ADP secretary-general Rifaat Eid voiced reservation over the army's step during an interview with OTV.

“I was informed by the Army Command, through Brig. Gen. Amer al-Hasan, that the army will take measures and he asked me whether we have a problem with that and I said no,” Eid said.

“But I want to ask the Army Command: why do things always start from Jabal Mohsen while nothing has been done on the other frontier,” he added.

Security sources told MTV later on Tuesday that the removal of barricades and sandbags from Jabal Mohsen will be followed by the removal of barricades from Bab al-Tabbaneh and all frontiers.

Future TV said “some army troops were wounded in a clash with gunmen in Jabal Mohsen."

Earlier on Tuesday, Tripoli MP Mohammed Kabbara gave a 48-hour ultimatum for the state to control the situation in Tripoli.

“The residents of the city will have to defend themselves if the battles continued,” Kabbara said after heading a meeting for the National Islamic Gathering.

The lawmaker accused President Michel Suleiman, Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati and Army Commander Gen. Jean Qahwaji of cooperating with the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

“We call on officials to assume their responsibilities as it is their task to maintain the country's unity and the safety of its residents,” Kabbara told reporters.

The statement issued by the attendees expressed surprise that the security deterioration in Tripoli is ongoing despite all the appeals to end the chaos.

“The army should respond to snipers by firing at them and not just giving them warning gunshots,” the MP said.

A new wave of Syria-linked clashes between Sunni and Alawite residents of Tripoli has killed at least six people in less than 24 hours.

The latest confrontations come after a brief lull in the violence between the two sides, after a flare-up last month left 31 people dead and more than 200 wounded.

The fighting in Tripoli, which has flared sporadically since the beginning of the Syria conflict in March 2011, has largely been confined to the neighborhoods of Jabal Mohsen and Bab al-Tabbaneh.

Kabbara, who read the statement, stressed that the state should not tolerate the “killers that are assassinating the city.”

He urged Suleiman to call on the Higher Defense Council to hold an emergency meeting to set a clear plan to end the “city's tragedy.”

The statement also described the residents of Jabal Mohsen as a “criminal gang that is implementing the orders of Iran and Syria.”

The city has so far witnessed around 17 rounds of fighting which intensified when the now more than two-year conflict erupted in Syria.

For the first time last month, supporters and opponents of Assad lobbed mortar shells and fired heavy machine guns at each other.

Comments 11
Missing phillipo 04 June 2013, 15:14

Not bad, an MP threatening the Central Government and getting away with it.
I suppose that if the army went in and got rid of all the snipers and other weapons holders he would then complain of heavyhandedness.

Thumb Chupachups 04 June 2013, 15:36

Kabbarra mr Kabarra.. asdeh Takhana mr kabarra

Default-user-icon Amir (Guest) 04 June 2013, 15:32

This is disgusting.
Handful of lunatic illiterate poor unemployed gangs crippling the beautiful lice of honest citizens for pitty politics......and some $$$
Tripoli residents should hire mercenaries to clean these lunatics out once for all as the government is playing politics and busy with too many official statements and press conferences.
Useless politicians who have the gutt and the balls to renew their mandate blaming securities issues.
They should not be paid until election is held.
Pakistan had the election completed despite threat from the Taliban.

Wake up...time is running.

Default-user-icon Djopango Fertatsia (Guest) 04 June 2013, 16:30

As if Dr. Arreet 7akeh of Syria's (i.e. Abou Jreij Sabra's) 24-hour ultimatum 5 days ago or so to Hizbullah was not enough ultimatums in ONE LONG WEEK. Now Dr. Arret 7akeh of Tripoli, 7amido Kebboubarra, has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the state that al-Mustaqbal al-Ta3ees of Rafic Syria, Syria's best Rafic, robbed, raped and destroyed. I cannot wait for these 48 hours to pass.

Thumb lebneneh 04 June 2013, 16:40

I wish all Lebanese politicians all the worst! You are the cancer that is killing this country!

Missing abraham 04 June 2013, 17:31

for a change I agree with you lebneneh

Default-user-icon Sidon93 (Guest) 04 June 2013, 17:36

Hopefully the ultimatum passes and the residents of Tripoli take this matter into their own hands. Habal Mohsen need to learn a lesson that their treacherous ways will not be tolerated.

Thumb primesuspect 04 June 2013, 21:23

Sectarian filth

Missing peace 04 June 2013, 23:21

"Jabal Mohsen will make a mess of your sect"

i thought aounis claimed to be NOT sectarian... seems they are of the worse kind! LOL!!!!

Thumb ado.australia 04 June 2013, 18:02

This guy has threatened the Lebanese army over incidents in akkar and tripoli when they tried to Inforce control. Now he threatens the Lebanese army (watan) if they don't stop his own people from attacking Jabal Moshe's and not stoping the alawites from kattacking bab tabbaneh!

How many Lebanese (watan) state soldiers have been killed trying to stop these sectarian thugs? If the do go in to end fighting, they will also surly receive another threat from this guy for killing his people.

How this guy is allowed to stay free after such ultimatums and threats towards the army is exactly the reason Lebanon is a failed state! Arrest this prick and kill every one that attacks the watan Lebanese army!

Default-user-icon arz83 (Guest) 04 June 2013, 21:14

I'm so proud to be Lebanese yet so ashamed of my country. This whole attitude of taking up arms to protect one's interests has such splendid results. We had this situation for 30 years with so much suffering, and yet everyone is so eager to repeat history. Anyone other than the national military that uses weapons to kill others on Lebanese territory is a murderer and a terrorist regardless of political party, religion, origin, or any other petty dividing factor. I'll never understand why this land has been blessed with so much and yet cursed so many times over.