Berri urges officials to help facilitate army’s mission in Tripoli

Speaker Nabih Berri described on Wednesday the army’s deployment in the northern city of Tripoli as relieving, noting that all the facilitations were provided to prevent sedition. “We are required to help the army in maintaining security and preventing sedition,” Berri told An Nahar newspaper. He noted that the resumption of the national dialogue is very vital. Berri said in comments published in As Safir newspaper that the importance of the national dialogue emerges amid these “difficult conditions.” Meanwhile, a security source told An Nahr that the “political powers in (Tripoli) lifted the political cover off the armed insurgents. The source considered that the security situation after the army’s intervention is “acceptable.” A military source confirmed to An Nahar that the army “deployed calmly according to the set plan.” “Everything is under control,” the source added. Deadly sectarian clashes linked to the unrest in Syria have ended in Tripoli, but residents warn that violence is bound to boil over again. Tension between the two rival neighborhoods of Sunni Bab al-Tabbaneh and Alawite Jabal Mohsen came to a head at the weekend and left nine people dead and nearly 50 wounded before the army intervened early on Tuesday to restore calm. The clashes highlighted deep divisions among political parties in Lebanon over the crisis in Syria and fears that the unrest could spill over. Sectarian violence has flared on a number of occasions in the city since the revolt broke out but the recent escalation was the deadliest and saw hardline Sunni Islamists, or Salafists, taking part in the fighting after the General Security Department detained Shadi al-Mawlawi on charges of belonging to a terrorist organization.