President Sleiman meets Tripoli's ministers and MPs, tackles security situation in the city

President Michel Sleiman met on Friday at the Baabda Palace with a delegation of Tripoli's ministers and MPs with talks featuring high on Tripoli's security situation.

The delegation called on the Internal Security Forces and the Lebanese Armed Forces to be firm while imposing law and order in the city.

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.

Fighting re-erupted on Monday 21st October in the northern city between gunmen of rival Lebanese sects where at least 12 people were killed in the latest round of clashes.

The latest battle left over 60 people wounded, officials said.

President Sleiman also held talks with Security General Chief major General Abbas Ibrahim who briefed him about the security situation of the border crossings, as well as efforts deployed to release the two kidnapped bishops.

The two Syrian bishops kidnapped by gunmen on Monday April 22nd are still missing, church sources in Damascus and Aleppo said, contradicting a report that the men had been freed.

Pope Francis urged the release of the two Aleppian bishops, 2 days after their disappearance.

They have been identified as Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of Aleppo and Alexandria Boulos Yaziji, and Syriac Orthodox Metropolitan of Aleppo Yuhanna Ibrahim.