In Documents: Future Movement Leads Anti-Army Campaign
Mohammad Keserwani
The Lebanese army had to face many challenges between its 67th and 68th anniversary, starting with the jabs lobbed by March 14 camp against it during Tripoli skirmishes, until Arsal massacre and Abra events, as well as accusing it of betrayal, partiality, and dependence.
This year was a bitter tough one for the military institution, which lost tens of martyrs and paid hundreds of wounded, like Captain Pierre Bashaalani, Sergeant Ibrahim Zahraman, and First Sergeant Toni Youssef Hazouri. Not just have March 14 forces, with Future Movement as frontrunner, been content with deforming the image of the army in media, but also they went on to stab-back the military institution by supporting soldiers killers and appointing attorneys to defend them. They even called for utmost punishment for military personnel.
All this was orchestrated with the symphony of Future's infamous trio, Kabbara-Merehbi-Daher, against the army; a symphony that Future Movement exploited instead of slamming.
1/8/2012
President of the Republic, Michel Suleiman, confirmed, in a word delivered upon the 67th anniversary of the Lebanese Army in Fiyadiyeh, that the military was the empowered force working as per controls that are derived from legislations. The army defends and does not attack; it builds and does not destroy, he said, stressing that the army is beyond sects and parties. The army is for the nation and not for the regime, he underlined. He noted that the army would continue fighting terrorism, dismantling spying rings, and backing the security forces in watching over security nationwide.
Kabbara slams army, accuses it of 'killing innocent'
Future lawmaker Mohammad Kabbara lobbed prods on the Lebanese army, claiming that some army members and officers have opened fire randomly, which led to the fall of innocent victims in Tripoli. He called for punishing authors to prevent the recurrence of such irresponsible practices.
Army steps up measures in Tripoli
The Lebanese army stepped up measures in Tripoli even outside the scope of confrontations. It reinforced its presence in the vicinity of refugees camps, though to be the source of Energa bombs launching.
Army removes 'Israeli' violation in Shebaa farms
Cabinet Okays military arming plan
The Cabinet approved a 1.6 billion-dollar plan to gear up the army throughout five years and to ink a security agreement between Lebanon and France.
FSA enters Arsal terrains, attacks army
Lebanese Army Command announced in a communiqué that an armed unit of the so-called "Free Syrian Army" had entered the terrains of Arsal in Bekaa for the second time in less than a week, and attacked one Lebanese army post. A huge number of gunmen were backing the troops.
Suleiman lauds army performance in Arsal
President Michel Suleiman hailed what the Lebanese army has done in the terrains of Arsal region to protect the Lebanese soil and to preclude its usage by any party whosoever.
LAF: Roumieh prison not under our authority in any way
The Guidance Directorate of the Lebanese Army Command commented in a communiqué on what was circulated in some media outlets about the escape if a number of detainees in Roumieh prison and the arrest of some army members for interrogation. The army denied that military judiciary had arrested or interrogated any officer or army member.
Army controls situation after attempt to break into Serail
Hundreds of Future Movement and Lebanese Forces fans attempted to break into the Grand Serail in Downtown Beirut after having participated in the funerals of General Wissam Hassan and his bodyguard Ahmad Sahyouni at the Martyrs Square. The army hence erected checkpoints and worked on restoring security.
Army cleanses Qasqas, Horsh Beirut from Future gunmen
The Lebanese army entered Qasqas and Horsh Beirut region to cleanse it from gunmen and snipers that were shielding on rooftops in objection to the assassination of General Wissam Hassan.
Army chases Future gunmen, restores security in Beirut
The Lebanese army managed to hold back gunmen from March 14 and Future Movement, who were seeking to spread chaos and sabotage in Lebanon. The army managed to apprehend a huge number of saboteurs, after entering Qasqas and Tariq Jdide and to restore calm in the capital, jolted by vandal acts to protest the assassination of General Wissam Hassan and after the botched coup in front of the Serail.
Army speeds up security plan in Tripoli with bellicose parties welcoming
The Lebanese army speeded up the implementation of its security plan in Tripoli, whereby it managed to restore peace and stability to Bab el-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen. Army units managed to detect the location of snipers and arrested some of them who were protesting the assassination of General Wissam Hassan. It also controlled the axes where gunmen were sneaking to carry out their acts.
Army fixes checkpoints at Tripoli entrances
The Lebanese army erected fixed checkpoints at the entrances of Tripoli and its key squares, and circulated patrols in the streets. It reinforced its outposts in demarcation regions between belligerent quartiers. The cordon it imposed around fights zones managed to curb armed manifestations in the internal streets if Tripoli.
Army Command avows firmness with saboteurs regardless of their affiliations
The army command announced that after civilian and military casualties that fell during the clashes in Tripoli, the army reinforced its units in the city, in execution of the security plan it had put as per the decision of the Higher Defense Council to repress armed manifestation and gunfire, whereby it intensified patrols and fixed and ambulant checkpoints in the internal streets of Jabal Mohsen and Bab el-Tabbaneh regions, as well as its pursuit of gunmen. It also removed shields and barricades and all armed manifestations.
Army calls Arsal locals for responsiveness to arrest fire shooters
Army carries on measures, reinforces posts in Arsal
The Lebanese army carried on on-the-ground measures and reinforced its outposts in Arsal, where it closed all entrances and exits leading to the town by erecting fixed and mobile checkpoints to face a huge number of gunmen from different nationalities that were harboring inside the village.
Future MPs stage fierce attack on army
Future Movement lawmakers, namely Mohammad Kabbara, Khaled Daher, and Mouein Merehbi, staged a vehement attack on the Lebanese army, calling for interrogating the army chief General Jean Qahwaji over Arsal events.
Kabbara: We call for the formation of a "neutral" investigation committee to clarify what happened in Arsal.
Daher: We call for a just and real probe to guarantee the stability of Arsal and to ban the deformation of the image of Sunnites.
Merehbi: We call the Defense, Administration, and Justice House Committees to interrogate the army chief.
Army arrests three involved in attack on army in Arsal
The army arrested in the vicinity of Arsal three individuals involved in the attack on military men. The army command said there would be no leniency in apprehending the wanted.
Shahhal blasts army as 'violator'
Sheikh Dahi al-Islam Shahhal, from the Bekaa town of Majdal Anjar, accused the Lebanese army of being "a huge violator" and of being "controlled." He said that some are trying to drag the country into a row between the army and Sunnites.
Army, UNIFIL widely deploy
The Lebanese army faced "Israeli" vehicles that were building a road towards Wazzani river, as it effectuated a wide deployment in the area.
Army soldier martyrized in Tripoli
Army soldier Wissam Adham Diab was martyrized and many others were injured, among whom Bilal Ali and Wissam Diab, as clashes renewed in Tripoli.
Two martyrs, six injured from army in Tripoli
The military institution lost two martyrs, while six soldiers were injured, in Syria streets in Tripoli, during a deployment operation for sea commandos units inside the fights axes. Confrontations broke out between gunmen and army members, with weaponry and hand grenades being reportedly used.
Army threatens enemy of gunfire after Abbassiyeh attack
A unit of the Zionist occupation troops attempted to start new works in the border town of Abbassiyeh to clinch a new reality in a region that is under reservation. The Lebanese army threatened to open fire on the "Israeli" force which had to retreat behind the barbed wire.
Abra events
1- The army command issued a communiqué saying, "On 23/6/2013, at 2:00 pm, an armed group affiliated with Ahmad Assir attacked, for no reason, a Lebanese army checkpoint in Abra town in Sidon, which led to the martyrdom of two officers and one soldier and the injury of many others. Also, a number of military vehicles were damaged. The army took necessary measures to control the situation and arrest gunmen."
2- The army command regretted, in a communiqué, that the martyrs and injured who fell that day were not targeted by the enemy, but by the cartridges of a Lebanese group inside the dear city of Sidon.
3- MP Bahiya Hariri evened the Lebanese army and Assir's members and depicted what happened as fights at Sidon's doors.
4- MP Fouad Siniora called for cease-fire in Abra, considering that what happened was between two militias and not between the state represented by the army and a group of criminals who attacked the defender of the nation.
5- The Lebanese army staged a military operation to impose a cordon around Bilal Bin Rabah mosque, where Assir's gunmen were shielding. Army units were tens of meters away from the mosque after reinforcements reached them. Army had to chase gunmen from one building to another.
6- The Guidance Directorate of the army command issued a communiqué eulogizing the martyrs who fell during Abra clashes, namely First Lieutenant Samer Geryes Tanios, Lieutenant George Elian Bou Saab, Sergeant Ali Adnan Masri, First Soldier Rami Ali Khabbaz, soldier Bilal Ali Saleh, and soldier Elie Nicolas Rahme.
7- Ahmad Assir gunmen attacked with rockets soldiers of the Lebanese army concentrated off the entrance of the security zone in Abra, which raised the martyrs' toll to 10 and caused injury to 40 military men.
8- The Lebanese army evacuated the residential streets nearby Bilal Bin Rabah mosque and determined its security plan against the vicinity of the mosque after it was confirmed Assir and tens of fighters were harboring inside.
9- Ahmad Assir addressed "Sunnite" soldiers with a message hereby calling them to desert the Lebanese army. He called his fans to block roads and his supporters abroad to protest in front of the Lebanese embassies.
24/6/2013
Abra events
1- Lebanese army units tightened grip on Assir complex in Abra and broiled with a number of snipers positioned on rooftops.
2- Tens of Takfiri gunmen attempted to gang in Tripoli and moved from one region to another as Takbir calls set off in mosques. They blocked a number of roads among which the Tripoli-Beirut way.
3- Gunmen warned army to withdraw its vehicles from demarcation axes in Bab el-Tabbaneh in Tripoli before 6:00. Simultaneously, calls to target facilities affiliated with the army in the city were shared on Facebook.
4- Lebanese army took over Ahmad Assir's security zone in Abra and the houses and posts he occupied. It seized huge quantities f weapons, arsenals, suits, and al-Nusra Front flags.
27/6/2013
Army: Fabrication of footages showing gunmen fighting alongside army in Abra is media scandal
Army command countered anti-military sayings by those who failed to foment strife in Sidon, stressing that the army is being subject to a cheap media and political campaign, through the fabrication of footages, pictures, and recordings on the presence of gunmen fighting alongside the army. It regretted that some media outlets, once pioneer is speaking truth, have reached such a level of baseness and misleading.
"While the Lebanese army was leading a fierce battle against an armed group working on spreading strife and chaos as well as on calling for Jihad against is, the military was surprised by a cheap Lebanese political and media campaign, through the fabrication of films, recordings, and pictures, showing the army entering Abra where gunmen were present to fight alongside it," the army command said in a communiqué.
28/6/2013
Future incites against Lebanese army
After Friday prayers chaired by Mufti Salim Soussane at Zaatari mosque, Assir fans tried to break into Bilal Bin Rabah forcedly, compelling the army to open fire in air to disperse them.
30/6/2013
Mashnouq asks army for clarification on Sidon operation
In a distrustful step, Future bloc Deputy Nohad Mashnouq demanded the Lebanese army to issue a communiqué hereby clarifying how Abra operation started and ended.
9/7/2013
Army communiqué after Bir Abed bombing
Following the blast that rocked the Southern Suburb locality of Bir Abed, the army's Guidance Directorate said, in a communiqué that a booby-trapped car, parked inside a parking lot in Bir Abed in the Southern Suburb, exploded, injuring a number of citizens and damaging properties. Shortly afterwards, the army tightened a security cordon around the blast scene, while the military police took on investigation into the incident under the supervision of the competent judiciary to uncover the circumstances and identify culprits.
18/7/2013
Future: Assir opened fire on army first
Future lawmakers failed to render a meeting for the Defense House Committee an interrogation session of the army over Abra events. The Committee' head, MP Samir Jisr, had eventually to admit that gunfire started from Assir's side.
Source: Al-Ahed news
