Qahwaji Vows to Strike with Iron Fist, Says Army to Deal Firmly with Gunmen
Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji said on Monday that he ordered military units to deal firmly with gunmen in the West Bekaa town of Souairi.
Qahwaji stressed in comments published in As Safir newspaper that the army will not hesitate in maintaining security in the country and striking it with an iron fist.
For his part, Speaker Nabih Berri denounced the incident, stressing that security forces should deal firmly with those who are involved in the incident “no matter what their sect is or political affiliation.”
According to As Safir, head of al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc Fouad Saniora discussed ways to control the repercussions of the incident with Berri in a telephone conversation.
On Sunday, the army was able to end clashes between two families in Souairi that left several people dead and others wounded.
The gunbattles erupted on Sunday, a day after a personal dispute between members of Jinbeen family and Shouman that soon escalated into a fight and, were contained by the Army.
The clashes, which were considered sectarian, renewed on Sunday during the funeral procession of Mohammed Jibeen, a soldier.
The Army controlled the situation after the clashes turned fierce between Sunni family Jinbeen and Shiite family Shouman.
In a statement, the military said it carried out raids, detained several suspects and seized arms.
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