Sleiman discusses Tripoli's clashes

President Michel Sleiman followed up Saturday on the security situation in Tripoli, while skirmishes have continued since yesterday between two locations in North Lebanon, Bab Tabbaneh, predominantly Sunni, and Alawite Jabal Mohsen majority.

The particularly tense atmosphere in the region since Friday has led to armed clashes with the use of projectile bombs and firearms, leaving one dead and several injured, three of whom were soldiers of the Lebanese army.

In this context, Sleiman spoke respectively with Minister of National Defense, Fayez Ghosn, Interior Minister, Marwan Charbel, and the commander of the army, General Jean Qahwaji, and followed up on measures adopted by the military to restore calm to the region.

Separately, the head of state has spoken before a delegation of civil society organizations meeting in Tripoli, reiterating the crucial need for balanced development between various parts of the country.

President Sleiman has subsequently received Justice Minister Chakib Qortbaoui, followed by a delegation of union of mutuality fund, former Minister Elias Hanna and, finally, artists Marwan and Ghadi Rahbani who gave him an invitation to their latest musical, "In the land of the gypsies.