March 14 Alliance to Hold Successive Meetings over Situation in Arsal

The March 14 coalition will hold successive meetings to discuss the situation in the northeastern town of Arsal, An Nahar newspaper reported on Thursday.

According to the newspaper the alliance is deeply concerned about the situation in Arsal and describes it as “delicate.”

Lebanon is sharply divided over the war in Syria and Arsal is a particular flashpoint as refugees from the uprising and fighters and smugglers hostile to the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad traverse the border.

On Wednesday Syrian regime forces carried out an air raid on Arsal.

The attack drew the condemnation of President Michel Suleiman, who urged Syria to “respect Lebanon's sovereignty and not to endanger its citizens."

Other border areas in the north and east have also been struck by frequent cross-border shelling and clashes, while the Syrian regime has told Lebanon to better control its porous border to prevent the smuggling of fighters and arms.