March 14 leaders denounce attack against army

March 14 opposition leaders denounced the fatal attack that targeted the Lebanese Armed Forces in the Bekaa region , near the border with Syria.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea condemned the attack and extended his condolences to the families of the victims.

Geagea criticized the state authorities for failing to take practical measures that could help to ensure security throughout the country.

Former PM and current Future Movement bloc leader MP Fouad Siniora also issued a statement condemning the fatal attack: “Firing on army troops… is a condemnable and unacceptable act,” the statement said

Siniora called on the residents of the town of Arsal, where the attack took place, to cooperate with the LAF and to treat the relevant security agencies “with respect and support.”

Four members of the Lebanese army ( including Captain Pierre Bachaalany ) and two gunmen were killed in clashes in the country’s Bekaa Valley in the area of Arsal on Friday after militants attacked a LAF patrol, security sources said.

Some residents said the clash broke out after the army entered the area to arrest Khaled Hmayed, a suspected member of the hardline anti-Assad Islamist group Jabhat al-Nusra, who is believed to travel frequently between Lebanon and Syria.