Jumblat Calls For Full Army Support, Considers Failure to Back it a 'Conspiracy'

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat called on Wednesday for full support to the Lebanese army's missions, warning that any failure to provide political and security coverage for the military's missions in the northern city of Tripoli would be considered a conspiracy.

“All political parties are required today more than ever, to back the Lebanese army,”stressed Jumblat in a statement on Wednesday.

“They are required to back its national role to preserve stability and civil peace and confront the rising challenges as the result of internal divisions and the gradual spillover of regional developments into Lebanon, mainly the Syrian crisis and the clashes in the northern city of Tripoli,” he said.

Jumblat denounced Tuesday's attacks against the military in Tripoli, calling for “decisive unwavering stances to back the military institutions with all means possible, and to provide total political coverage for its missions. Any thing other than that would be considered conspiracy against the military at these crucial moments.”

Army commandos joined on Tuesday other military brigades seeking to impose security in the northern city of Tripoli after deadly clashes between the rival neighborhoods of Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen left several people dead and injured.

The army has been deployed in the area since the outbreak but has failed to halt the fighting in the town where clashes have frequently broken out since the beginning of the conflict in neighboring Syria in March 2011.

According to reports, gunmen have been firing at the army and attacking military positions that left two soldiers dead and many wounded.

“Protecting the Lebanese army is a priority,” reiterated Jumblat, stressing that it is more important than the conflicts lingering between political factions to reach a deal on an electoral law that suits them.