U.S. Officer Asks for Clarifications from Lebanese Army on Maroun al-Ras Incident

A U.S. Army Brigadier General has asked for clarifications from the Lebanese army leadership on the incident in the border town of Maroun al-Ras on Nakba Day, a U.S. embassy statement said.

John W. Charlton, the Deputy Director for Middle East Political-Military Affairs in the Policy and Plans Directorate of the Joint Staff in the Pentagon, visited Lebanon on May 19-20 to hold discussions with the Lebanese army leadership on bilateral military programs, it said.

During a visit to the army headquarters, Charlton expressed the U.S. regret for the loss of life and sympathy for those killed and wounded in Maroun al-Ras on May 15. “He asked for clarification of the events and emphasized the importance of maintaining strong border security on all fronts,” said the statement.

Charlton urged the army to bolster its efforts to fulfill its mission south of the Litani River in accordance with U.N. Security Council resolution 1701 to prevent incidents that increase tensions along the U.N.-drawn Blue Line.

During a visit to army units and UNIFIL headquarters in the south, the Brig. Gen. stressed the importance of a strong partnership between the U.S. and Lebanese militaries to further bolster the Lebanese army’s institutional capacity.

The statement added that Charlton looked forward to furthering cooperation between the U.S. military and the Lebanese army by hosting a senior Lebanese military delegation in Washington in the near future.