6 Lebanon troops die in clash with Sunni radicals
Source: AFP
BEIRUT — Six Lebanese soldiers were killed on Sunday in clashes with supporters of a radical Sunni Muslim sheikh opposed to the powerful Shiite movement Hezbollah, an army statement said.
"An armed group loyal to Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir attacked, for no reason, a Lebanese army checkpoint in the village of Abra" on the outskirts of the southern Lebanese city of Sidon, it said.
It said six soldiers were killed, two of them officers, updating an earlier toll of three dead.
The fighting erupted when Assir supporters surrounded an army checkpoint in Abra, where a vehicle transporting other supporters of the Sunni cleric had been stopped, a security source told AFP.
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geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)Comrade Grumpy
(13,184 posts)Hezbollah isn't Lebanon. It's part of the government, and it strangely also has its own armed forces.
The Lebanese government has been walking a tightrope, trying to keep the civil war from spreading there. The Lebanese Army was attacked by followers of a radical salafist Sunni cleric who has called for jihad in Syria. I think that guy just fucked up.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)not the dog and pony show chosen by their elections.
I dare say if the most powerful political party in the US launched its own invasion/armed intervention into Canada or Mexico, very few would consider the USG blameless.
Comrade Grumpy
(13,184 posts)But it's not the government, just part of it. You didn't see the Lebanese Army fighting in Qusayr; you saw Hezbollah.
Interesting take on Lebanese democracy, though.
I don't know why you want to blame the Lebanese government. What do you want it to do? Have a civil war right at home?
And Lebanon isn't the US. I don't how far that analogy flies.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)They certainly didn't slow the Israelis down.
If one looks at the characteristics of a sovereign, Hezbollah looks a lot more like one than the Lebanese 'government.'
Sand Wind
(1,573 posts)But since Hezbollah is working for Iran...
Comrade Grumpy
(13,184 posts)Sand Wind
(1,573 posts)That's how they show their real allegiance.
Comrade Grumpy
(13,184 posts)"Protect a dictator from his people."
When this first started, about a third of Syrians supported the government, about a third wanted to overthrow it, and about a third wanted reforms, but not at the price of civil war. It looks like two-thirds of Syrians are losing out.
And are you suggesting that Al Nusra, and the Belgians, Chechens, Libyans, Qataris, Saudis, and Turks (among others) who make up the ranks of the jihadist groups somehow represent "the Syrian people?" That's quite a stretch.
Or do you mean that fictional entity, the FSA? It seems to be no more than a conglomeration of local warlords.
John2
(2,730 posts)Tunisians fighting in Syria, and now in Syrian jails. I think someone said Sandwind was a Tunisian? If so, then he would be bias. That is why I'm questioning him. The foreigners in Syria are not fighting for the Syrian people, especially when they shoot a Syrian citizen for blasphemy. That is the difference between Hezbullah and the extremists in Syria. Hezbullah is fighting a resistance War against Israel. The extremists are fighting to establish some religious Caliphate. The biggest gripe they have with Assad is his government allows religious freedom.
The Muslim Brotherhood and Salifists have been against the Assad family ever since. Assad gets support not only from minority groups in Syria but also from moderate Sunnis. The extremists are just looking for religious slaves. People will lose freedom in Syria, if they got their way. Hezbullah is more concerned, because the Assad government has been a principle Ally for the resistance against the Likud government of Israel, not the Brotherhood or monarchs of Saudi Arabia, kuwait or Qatar. The biggest supporters of the Palestinians has actually been Syria.
I'm one American, that is not that big of a supporter of Israel. Our Government is but not me. It has nothing to do with our National Security and I disagree with the displacement of people and replacing them with Jewish settlers. That is the same as apartheid and what our Government did to Native Americans. Palestinians are second class citizens within their own native lands. The religious fanatics of the United States can state freedom and Democracy all they want, but they have a blind eye when it come to people, that don't share certain physical traits or religion. Our country has a racist Past and still have areas of racism. I despise all rightwing ideology. There are eleven million Palestinians in this World, just what do you think will happen if they were all allowed to vote in their own homeland? I bet many wouldn't like that Democracy. That is the Dirty secret isn't it?
these Sunni radicals, going across the border from Lenanon intefering in the Syrian War. They also come from Libya bringing weapons that were supplied to them during the so called Arab uprising.
Lebanon is a country with a divided government. Sunnis are not the majority in Lebanon, and radical Sunnis get support from the Muslim brotherhood of Egypt and Salifists from Saudia Arabia, whereas Lebanon Shiites get support from Syria and Iran through Hezbullah. There are also Alawites in Lebanon, which gives the Shiites a slight majority over the Sunni population of Lebanon. They do not support the attack on Syria encouraged by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, and Israel.
The other significant minority in Lebanon, are Christians, who share a three way power in the Government. The Lebanese Army represents all sides, but it was the Hezbullah Army, that put up the best defense for Lebanon against Israeli incursions on their land. That is the reason hezbullah has more support, than the Saudi and Egyptian backed Sunni groups.
The reason Hezbullah was able to put up a better fight against Israel, is because they are better equipped than the Lebaneze Army. It was the reason they refused to disarm, because the West will not arm the Lebanese Army on the parallel with the Israelis. On the otherhand, Iran was willing to do so with Hezbullah.
So this religious stupidity of the Sunni radicals is really hurting the security of Lebanon as an independent state. They want to establish their own religious governance, just like in Syria. They don't want a secular state.
I will let you know once again where I'm comming from. I don't give a dam about any other countries interests except the United States. That includes Israel! Our Congress has let the interests of Israel supercede our own interests to the point, they are now supporting religious fanatics. Anything said against Israel in this country, people will start calling you Anti Semitic. I'm not even that religious, so does that make me anti Islam or Muslim?
If I was the President of the United States, I would put both of you in your places! Then none of you will dictate anything. Especially in regards to religious fanaticism. And I would have the power to do so, in consultation with the Russians, China, Britain and France. There would be peace one way or the other, if the powers that won World War II, dictated it. None of you will have nothing to say about it either! That is what a true super power will do.
Comrade Grumpy
(13,184 posts)BEIRUT (Reuters) - At least 12 people were killed in fierce clashes in the Lebanese city of Sidon on Sunday between the army and followers of a Sunni Muslim cleric who have been caught up in sectarian fighting fuelled by the war in neighboring Syria.
Guns and rocket fire rattled the port city 40 km (28 miles) south of Beirut that has been on edge since violence erupted there last week between Sunni and Shi'ite Muslim fighters, at odds over the Syrian conflict.
Lebanese authorities have been trying to quell the fighting and Sunday's clashes began when police arrested a follower of hardline cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Assir at a checkpoint, sources in the city told Reuters.
Other Assir backers attacked security forces in the city in retaliation and called on their supporters to come out onto the streets across Lebanon.
Ten soldiers were killed and 40 wounded, a security source said. At least two Sunni gunmen were killed and 13 wounded, he added.
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The Lebanese Army can't be too happy with Mr. al-Assir, the Sunni jihadist calling for holy war in Syria.
