Lebanese army chief urges troops to remain neutral

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

BEIRUT, Dec 7 (Reuters) Lebanon's army commander urged soldiers today to stay neutral in an increasingly tense Beirut and said concessions might be necessary to resolve a political crisis.

Thousands of Hezbollah-led opposition followers have been camping out near government headquarters since December 1 to try to topple Western-backed Prime Minister Fouad Siniora.

The protests have sparked several sectarian clashes between Shi'ite Muslims, who back Hezbollah, and Siniora's Sunni supporters in Beirut.

''I call on you to be more alert..., to avoid interacting with the events and stay away from the current political polarisation,'' General Michel Suleiman told troops in a memo released by the military.

''In your name ... I pledge to all the nation that the army will remain worthy of their trust, strong and unified, preserving security and stability...'' Hezbollah said its chief, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, would give a televised address at 2300 hrs IST today to supporters maintaining the round-the-clock vigil in downtown Beirut.

The opposition is demanding the formation of a national unity government and accuses Siniora of failing to stand by pro-Syrian Hezbollah during a July/August war with Israel.

Suleiman was quoted by a local news agency this week as telling Siniora the showdown could get out of hand and the military might not be unable to keep the peace. Lebanon has suffered two civil wars in the last 50 years.

ARRESTS In his memo, the army commander urged politicians to resolve the crisis, even if meant making concessions.

''Retreating from a personal position or seeking a solution for the sake of public interest is a courageous sacrifice... and never a defeat,'' the memo said.

An anti-government protester was shot dead on Sunday in a Sunni neighbourhood as he returned home from the city centre demonstration. Thousands of soldiers and police are deployed in the mainly Sunni parts of Beirut and around the city centre.

Security sources said the army had arrested three suspects over the killing. It has also arrested several people who took part in night time disturbances in the capital.

The army, which has around 45,000 soldiers and officers, split along sectarian lines in the 1975-1990 civil war.

The opposition said yesterday it was ready to escalate its protests to topple Siniora's government and called for a mass demonstration on Sunday.

Siniora allies accuse their opponents of using the protests to try to derail an international tribunal to try suspects in the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, which many Lebanese blame on Syria, a charge Damascus denies.

REUTERS PDM BD2016

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