Lebanese military on alert in south Lebanon
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Beirut, Lebanon, Jan 12, IRNA -- Following a political crisis in Lebanon and possible resignation of ministers of the March 8 alliance, the Lebanese government has put its military on alert in south of this country.
According to IRNA correspondent in south Lebanon, Lebanese military forces have been stationed in front of the main building of Saida city municipality which is run by Al Mustaqbal Party, the main supporter of Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri.
Saida city is largely inhabited by Sunni Muslims.
Meanwhile, Washington has impeded efforts by Arab states to solve Lebanese political crisis.
Israeli jetfighters also violated Lebanese airspace over the south, Saida city in particular, on Wednesday and conducted several unwarranted flights above southern Lebanon.
Lebanon's unity government looks set to collapse after the powerful Hezbollah and its allies threatened to walk out over a UN probe into the assassination of former premier Rafiq Hariri.
Health Minister Mohamad Jawad Khalifeh, whose Amal party is allied with Hezbollah, said 11 ministers would tender their resignations Wednesday afternoon unless the cabinet convenes to discuss a long-running standoff over the UN-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL).
'If the cabinet fails to meet, it means there is no government and as such 11 ministers will tender their resignations this afternoon,' Khalifeh said.
The Shiite reistance group Hezbollah and its allies have for months been pressing Prime Minister Saad Hariri, son of the slain former premier, to disavow the STL on grounds it is part of a US-Israeli plot.
Lebanon's unity government is made up of 30 ministers, 10 of them representing Hezbollah and its allies.
9060**1412
Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 30184394
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
