Charbel: Most Tripoli Fighters Are Acting on their Own

Caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel revealed Tuesday that the majority of fighters in the northern city of Tripoli are no longer following the orders of their leaders.

“Most of the gunmen in Tripoli are acting on their own and have gone out of the politicians’ willingness ... to end strife,” Charbel told reporters ahead of chairing a meeting of the Central Security Council.

“We can hit the gunmen with an iron fist and this issue has been discussed by the Higher Defense Council,” he said in response to a question.

“But we can't target Tripoli. The army and security forces are acting wisely,” he added.

Charbel said the "tragic" clashes in the port city will eventually end. “The situation can't remain the same.”

He saw no purpose behind the clashes which he said pitted the residents of the same city.

“I don't know what's the purpose behind the 17 rounds of fighting?” Charbel wondered.

Five people were killed since the renewed clashes between the rival neighborhoods of Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen erupted on Sunday.

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 Syrian President Bashar Assad lobbed mortar shells and fired heavy machine guns at each other.

"Unfortunately, If you want to know what's happening in Tripoli then you should know what's going on in Syria," Charbel said about the spillover of the Syrian war into Lebanon.