BEIRUT: Prime Minister Tammam Salam reassured visitors to his home Sunday that he was in constant contact with the military leadership, which is doing everything to eliminate terrorist groups from Tripoli.
“The military and security measures taken by the armed forces, and our choice [to combat] terrorism, are irreversible,” he emphasized, while admitting that the battle ahead would not be easy.
Lebanese troops battled Islamist militants behind attacks in Tripoli and the northern district of Minyeh for a third day Sunday with the death toll rising to 27.
“It is true that there are complications and accumulation [of problems], and addressing these is not easy either, but the firm decision must supersede all else,” Salam said.
“We have no choice but to continue curbing terrorism and eliminate it by any means. They [militants] must not be allowed to control certain neighborhoods and limit the freedom of citizens. Therefore, it is vital to strengthen the role of [state] authority, grant people relief and put an end to terrorism. It is unacceptable for any power, for any goals or targets claimed by terrorist groups, to abuse the country or its citizens.”
He said “terrorists have their own methods of mobilizing, of hitting and running, and this is what is happening presently. It will not necessarily be resolved quickly and easily.”
Salam said “political measures are being carried out to coincide with security measures, and rumors that terrorists have found a welcoming environment in Lebanon are false, as evidenced by the clear position toward the state, the Army and legitimate [security] forces taken by the political leadership in response to events.”
As to whether the events in Tripoli could force him to reconsider his trip to Germany scheduled for Monday, Salam said “my trip to Germany is only for 24 hours, and it is in the interests of the country concerning a national issue that has begun to take on dangerous dimensions,” as well as the refugee issue, which is “very important and must be addressed as a national issue.”
“I will not be absent from developments in Tripoli and throughout Lebanon,” he vowed.
Salam said he has been following from the start what has been happening in the north and is in constant contact with the military and security leadership as well as relevant political figures.
He said the terrorist groups first tried to hide among civilians in the narrow streets of Tripoli, but that was thwarted. They then moved to Minyeh, where they tried to take refuge in the mosque just as they earlier sought refuge in a church in Tripoli, but that attempt was also thwarted “to prevent harm to citizens,” especially after it came to light that these terrorists were on the verge of carrying out a plan to boobytrap and destroy a university building that had recently been built in the area.
Salam said these militants had resorted to methods such as intimidation and violence in order to ignite strife in the country.
He added that the old souks in Tripoli had been cleared of terrorists and efforts were now underway to root out such groups from Bab al-Tabbaneh.
Salam also said that the government takes the Nusra Front’s threat to execute more hostages “very seriously,” adding that “this is one of the challenges that we face.”
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