March 14 figures meet in show of support for Sidon

        
About 200 figures of March 14 alliance gathered on Sunday in Sidon to voice their support for the city following clashes that took place between the Lebanese army and armed groups.        

The March 14 alliance said in a statement read by March 14 Secretariat General Coordinator, Fares Souaid, that all the Lebanese people should be united and respect the Lebanese State's institutions, calling for the demilitarization of the city of Sidon.

In this context, MP Bahia Hariri said that no civil peace will prevail in Sidon apart of the rest of Lebanese regions, hailing the sacrifices offered by March 14 members.

For his part, head of Future bloc MP Fouad Siniora rejected the illegal weapons of Hezbollah, as well as the attack on the Lebanese army.

He also said that only legitimate armed forces are allowed to carry weapons, adding that Abra incidents could have been avoided by evacuating Hezbollah apartments Sidon.

MP Siniora called for a transparent investigation pertaining to Sidon latest clashes, urging to hold responsible whoever is showed involved in the incidents.

Fighting in Sidon city began Sunday (23 June) 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.Official reports said at least 17 soldiers were killed and 50 were wounded in the fighting while more than 20 of al-Assir's supporters died in the battle, according to a security official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to talk to reporters.

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 2 day 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.