Nasrallah Denounces Paris Attacks: We Will Openly Seek Fronts with IS in Wake of Dahieh Blast
Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, strongly condemned Saturday the Islamic State group's attacks in Paris that killed at least 129 people, while also saying that the Bourj al-Barajneh suicide attack in Beirut’s southern suburbs was aimed at creating strife in the country.
The attack on Bourj al-Barajneh was executed by the IS, he declared, while vowing to “seek fronts with the group for a real confrontation with the group.”
“IS does not have a future, neither in war nor in peace. It is losing ground in Syria and Iraq,” he added.
He added that the Bourj al-Barajneh blast was aimed at pressuring Hizbullah to withdraw from battles with terrorist groups.
“The blast will in fact have an adverse effect,” stressed Nasrallah.
Furthermore, he refuted media claims that said that Palestinians were involved in Thursday’s attack, revealing that a Syrian bomber was behind one blast, while the second suicide bomber was also probably Syrian.
He discouraged the public from jumping to conclusions about the attack, saying that neither Syrians, Palestinians, nor the entire Sunni sect should be held responsible for it.
The Hizbullah chief therefore said that the Bourj al-Barajneh attack was aimed at creating strife among the Lebanese.
“The Israelis and takfiris want to spark civil war in Lebanon and the country’s achievement is fortifying itself against their threats,” Nasrallah noted.
In addition, he called on officials to take advantage of the “positive” atmosphere reached in Lebanon in light of the recent legislative session.
“We should preserve the positive internal atmosphere in Lebanon and I renew my call for a comprehensive national settlement,” he continued.
At least 43 people were killed in twin suicide bombings in Bourj al-Barajneh, a Hizbullah stronghold, on Thursday.
The IS group claimed responsibility for the attack and a number of people have been arrested in connection to it.
Addressing the Paris terrorist attacks, Nasrallah said: “We, Hizbullah, express our strong condemnation and denunciation of the terrorist attack by the criminals of IS in Paris.”
Expressing his solidarity with the French people, he said the Middle East was also suffering "the earthquake" of jihadist groups.
IS's extreme interpretation of Sunni Islam considers Shiites to be heretics.
Hizbullah is a leading backer of Syria's embattled president Bashar Assad, and the party has intervened on his behalf in the country's civil war.
It has said its involvement in Syria will keep Lebanon and the region safe from jihadists, including IS.
M.T.
Source: Agence France Presse, Naharnet
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