President Sleiman meets with MP Aoun, discusses latest developments

     
President Michel Sleiman held a meeting on Wednesday at the Baabda presidential palace with Change and Reform Bloc leader MP Michel Aoun, with talks featuring high on the latest developments in the country.     

Earlier, Sleiman met with Caretaker Minister of Interior Marwan Charbel and tackled with him the security situation in the country and the measures to be adopted to maintain stability in this regard.

President Sleiman also held talks with Army Commander Jean Kahwagi who briefed him over the situation in Tripoli and the measures taken to oppress any attempt to foment strife and chaos in the city.

President Sleiman was informed about the Lebanese Armed Forces measures in Sidon's Abra and the investigations carried out by the concerned authorities with the arrested men involved in the incidents.

The port city of Tripoli has long been a stronghold of Sunni Islamists in northern Lebanon.

But the city has become increasingly volatile in recent months due to the civil war in neighboring Syria, where the Sunni majority is leading a revolt against President Bashar al-Assad. The tensions had led to a rise in clashes between those who support the uprising in Syria and those who oppose it.

As well, fighting in Sidon city began Sunday 23 Jun after troops arrested a follower of hardline Sunni cleric Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir.

The army says the cleric's supporters opened fire without provocation on an army checkpoint.

Al-Assir is a virulent critic of the powerful Shiite group Hezbollah group, which along with its allies dominates Lebanon's government.

He supports rebels fighting to oust Syria's President Bashar Assad.

The fighting between troops and armed supporters of al-Assir have transformed the city, which had been largely spared the violence plaguing border areas near Syria, into a combat zone.