Geagea Calls for Declaring Tripoli an Arms-Free City

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea called on Monday on the caretaker cabinet to hold an extraordinary session to call the northern city of Tripoli an arms-free city.

Geagea said in comments published in An Nahar newspaper that most of the residents of the northern city are demanding to announce it an arms-free city.

He said that prominent figures in Tripoli and parties provided the necessary political cover to declare the city arms-free, wondering what the concerned officials are waiting for to take such a step.

“Remaining mum over the situation in Tripoli is a crime,” Geagea told the newspaper.

The LF leader slammed officials, considering that they are neglecting their responsibilities.

The death toll from a week of clashes between supporters and opponents of Syria's regime in Tripoli has risen to 13.

Sunni and Alawite gunmen have been fighting since Monday in the Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen districts.

Residents of Bab al-Tabbaneh support the revolt against Syrian President Bashar Assad, while those in Jabal Mohsen back Assad. They have fought frequently since the Syrian conflict erupted in March 2011.

Tripoli is home to 200,000 people, 80 percent of whom are Sunni Muslims, 6-7 percent Alawites and the rest Christians.

The fighting broke out on Monday as a Lebanese private television aired an interview with the Syrian president, in which he said the time is not ripe for a peace conference to try to resolve the 31-month conflict and said he was ready to run for re-election in 2014.

The violence prompted residents to flee the impoverished neighborhoods, and schools and universities have been closed since the middle of last week.

Lebanon is deeply divided into pro- and anti-Damascus camps.

The division has widened since Hizbullah admitted in May it was sending fighters into Syria to support Assad's troops.

Small radical Sunni organizations have also sent men across the border to fight alongside rebels.

Lebanon was dominated politically and militarily by Damascus for 30 years until 2005.