Report: Army Still Awaits Saudi Grant, Will Make no Statements

The Lebanese army is still waiting for the Saudi grant to purchase French weapons following declarations by some officials that it has kicked off, amid reports saying that it will make no statement before receiving the arms, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Wednesday.

“The Lebanese army is waiting to see what will happen to the Saudi grant after announcements made by more than one official that it has kicked off. The army will not make any statement before receiving the arms particularly that it had already submitted a list of the weapons needed to the French authorities,” a senior military source told the daily.

“Washington continues to support and arm the army and the U.S. ammunition continues to arrive to it warehouses according to its needs. They have never been cut off,” added the source.

“The British are also equipping the regiments on the land border and there is numerous aid arriving from several countries.”

In June, reports said that the Saudi grant was reportedly frozen over stances by some Lebanese officials regarding Riyadh's war against Shiite Huthi rebels in Yemen.

Saudi Arabia is leading an Arab coalition that launched an air war on the Huthi rebels and their allies in Yemen on March 26.

In April, Lebanon received the first shipment of $3 billion worth of French arms under a Saudi-financed deal to boost the country's defensive capabilities to combat terror threats, along its northeastern border in particular.

The deal was first announced in December 2013.

France is expected to deliver 250 combat and transport vehicles, seven Cougar helicopters, three small Corvette warships and a range of surveillance and communications equipment over four years as part of the $3 billion (2.8 billion-euro) modernization program.

It is being entirely funded by Saudi Arabia, which is keen to see Lebanon's army defend its borders against jihadist groups, particularly the Islamic State group and al-Nusra Front.

The contract also promises seven years of training for the 70,000-strong Lebanese army and 10 years of equipment maintenance.

“The army operation carried out in Dar al-Wassa in West Bekaa two days ago has proven that the army will not allow crime and kidnapping cells to flourish. They will be hunted down,” the source added.

It assured that operations will carry on in the said area because the security situation has deteriorated to “unacceptable levels in Deir al-Ahmar, Baalbek and the neighboring area.”

One soldier was killed and four troops were wounded in a clash that erupted on Monday with members of the Jaafar family in the Bekaa area of Dar al-Wasaa following an army raid.

D.A.

M.T.