BEIRUT: Lebanon will overcome the dangers it is facing through unity and support for the Lebanese Army in its fight against extremist militants seeking to destabilize the country, Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil told Lebanese expatriates in the U.S.
“We cannot but live in unity. Lebanon should always remain the carrier of this message and as Lebanese we have no right to give up our unity (at home) and abroad,” Bassil to the Lebanese community during a Sunday mass in Las Vegas.
Bassil, who arrived in the U.S. a few days ago to participate in meetings at the U.N. General Assembly, visited major cities on the West Coast and met with members of the Lebanese community.
“ Lebanon is presently making the sacrifice on behalf of humanity, in the battle in which the Lebanese are standing with the Army as it confronts the powers of evil on our land,” Bassil said, in reference to attacks by extremist militant groups from Syria on the Lebanese Army in the border area of Arsal.
Speaking on the need to ranks to confront rampant terrorism and the spillover of the Syrian civil war, Bassil said, “we have the right to disagree politically, but we have no right to lose our nation for small, petit goals.”
Militants from Syria’s Nusra Front and ISIS overran Arsal in August, clashing with the Army for five straight days in the most serious spillover of the violence raging in Syria.
At least 19 soldiers were killed and over 30 captured in the clashes. The militants have executed three captive soldiers and released seven. At least 21 remain captive and face threats of execution unless the authorities meet the captors' conditions to release them, including releasing Islamist detainees held in Roumieh Prison.
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