Lebanon marks 40th anniversary of outbreak of civil war

Lebanon marked its 40th anniversary of the outbreak of civil war on Monday.

On the occasion of the anniversary, Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdel Latif Deryan said that "Lebanon is passing through difficult times and lessons from the ominous past should be learnt."

Lebanon has been without a president since the end of former President Michel Suleiman's term in May 2014, and the parliament failed to convene for 21 consecutive times to elect a new president because of lack of the constitutionally required quorum.

Grand Mufti called in a statement not to be "dragged into sectarian strife and political divisions that would endanger the whole country," stressing the importance of "continuing the ongoing dialogue as the only way to reach the safe shores."

He said "the reluctance in electing a new president is a total loss for all the Lebanese and threatens the continuity of the state institutions which is essential for the living of all the citizens."

Former Premier Saad Hariri also said on his Twitter account on the 40th commemoration of the start of Lebanon's civil war "never again, we will never allow it to return."

Minister of Justice Ashraf Rifi, for his part, tweeted "April 13 is an ominous memory that should serve as a lesson to all Lebanese so that they can preserve their country and denounce violence and death."

The civil war of Lebanon broke out on April 13, 1975, lasting 15 years and claiming the lives of more than 150,000 people, according to official figures.

In 1990, the war ended by the parliamentarians agreeing in the Saudi city of Taef on the National Accord that was named the "Taef Agreement," which has become part of Lebanon's constitution.