Report: Asir Cancels Call for Sit-In after Friday Prayers

Controversial Salafist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir called off a sit-in after Friday's Muslim prayers set to protest an alleged siege by the army on his Mosque in the southern town of Abra.

Sources said in comments published in al-Liwaa newspaper that a call by Asir on his supporters to rally after prayers was called off as the army began lifting the "siege" imposed on Bilal bin Rabah mosque.

On Thursday, Asir's press office issued a statement expressing hope that the army's decision wouldn't only be tactical, warning against repeating such a military act.

“We will not remain silent if the army repeats this endeavor,” the Salafist cleric said.

Asir and his supporters have staged several rallies recently to protest claims that Hizbullah had rented apartments in the vicinity of the Bilal bin Rabah Mosque to monitor the Sheikh's movements.

The anti-Hizbullah cleric's supporters had blocked several roads across Lebanon over the past few weeks to protest the siege imposed on Asir's mosque.