Lebanese Forces decry ex-MP”s claims on Zahle militant training camp
The Lebanese Forces (LF) accused former MP Hassan Yaaqoub on Monday of instigating civil strife after the latter reiterated accusations that the LF was training militants in the Bekaa town of Zahle. “Yaaqoub is urged to put an end to his ‘cheap’ allegations that the LF is training military cells in Zahle,” said a statement issued by the LF media office.
In a news conference on Monday at his residence in the Bekaa town of Bednayel, Yaaqoub revealed the names of nine men who were allegedly being given military training by the LF in the Wadi al-Arayesh region of Zahle.
The former Zahle MP claimed that these men were arrested by the Lebanese Army, “but were later unarrested due to political pressures.”
“Such military trainings only threaten civil peace,” he said.
In their statement, the LF urged Yaaqoub to apologize to Zahle residents for his allegations, adding that the former MP had insisted on accusing the party in spite of the LF’s filing a lawsuit against him.
Last week, the LF filed a lawsuit against Yaaqoub demanding LL 10 billion compensation for damages after he made similar accusations that the LF had trained militants in Zahle.
In his news conference on Monday, Yaaqoub said he filed a lawsuit against the LF leader Samir Geagea.
Both Yaaqoub and the LF statement gave a list containing the initials, dates of birth and registration numbers of the nine young men.
According to the LF, a group of 10 young men, three of whom were “underage,” were camping in Wadi al-Arayesh.
The LF added that the Lebanese Army had searched and interrogated the campers before handing them over to the Internal Security Forces.
The statement added that they were then released by the office of the attorney general in the Bekaa, adding that they were carrying hunting weapons, “just like thousands of other Lebanese.”
Also on Monday, Tourism Minister and Zahle MP Elie Marouni dismissed Yaaqoub’s accusations and described them as “baseless.”