U.S. Embassy Says Syria Must be 'Held Accountable' for Bids to Destabilize Lebanon
The U.S. Embassy in Beirut on Friday said it was “very concerned by the continuing violence in Tripoli,” adding that “Assad regime officials should be held accountable for involvement in alleged attempts to destabilize Lebanon.”
The embassy expressed its “sincere condolences for the loss of life,” calling on all parties to “exercise restraint and respect for Lebanese security and stability.”
In remarks posted on Twitter, the embassy also called on the Assad regime to “respect the sovereignty, independence, and stability of Lebanon,” condemning “the regime's continued shelling of Lebanese territory.”
Clashes between pro- and anti-Syrian factions in the northern city of Tripoli killed three people including a Sunni cleric on Friday, jeopardizing a fragile truce.
The deaths brought to 14 the number of people killed in fighting between the rival neighborhoods of Jabal Mohsen and Bab al-Tabbaneh over the past five days.
A further 110 people have been wounded, most of them shot by snipers.
The United Nations on Wednesday called for greater international support to protect an increasingly divided Lebanon from fallout from the civil war in neighboring Syria.
"As the crisis in Syria continues to deteriorate, the situation in Lebanon has become more precarious and the need for continued international support to the government and the Lebanese Armed Forces increasingly important," said under secretary general Jeffrey Feltman.
"Tensions over domestic and security concerns remain high throughout the country and are easily exacerbated by developments in Syria," Feltman told a council meeting on the Middle East.
Tripoli’s clashes, the kidnappings of Syrians in Lebanon, and shelling across the border have all heightened concern about Lebanon's stability.
Feltman said the arrest of former minister Michel Samaha for involvement in smuggling explosives from Syria had also "deepened concerns about attempts to draw Lebanon into regional concerns."
Source: Naharnet
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