Lebanese Army Storms Asir's Security Zone, Cleric Disappears after 16 Troops Martyred
Lebanese Army Command Stresses Keenness on Places of Worship, Vows to 'Suppress Sedition'
Miqati, Salam, ex-PMs Reject Attacks on Army, Urge Closure of 'All Security Apartments, Zones'
Hariri: We Will Remain with Army, Every Outlaw Must be Dealt with in Same Manner
Hizbullah Condemns Sidon Clashes: Army Guarantor for Civil Peace in Lebanon
Geagea Meets Suleiman: Asir Phenomenon Product of Hizbullah Phenomenon
Al-Rahi Lashes out at 'Executioners,' Says Attack on Institutions is 'High Treason'
Mouawad Contacts Qahwaji: Persistence of Illegitimate Arms Paves Way for Strife
Sami Gemayel Calls for Curfew in Sidon, Beirut, Tripoli to Avert More Unrest
Fadel Shaker’s Brother Killed in Abra Clashes
Aoun Links Sidon Clashes to Uncontrolled Flow of Syrian Refugees into Lebanon
France Expresses ‘Great Concern’ over Sidon Clashes
Plumbly Stresses Need to Cooperate with Suleiman, State Institutions to Ensure Stability in Lebanon
Arab League Warns of Severity of Targeting Lebanese Army
Riyadh Voices Concern over Sidon Clashes, Urges End to Fighting for Stability's Sake
Abbas Rejects ‘All Interference’ in Lebanese Affairs in Phone Call with Suleiman
Syria Says Assad Won't Cede Power at Geneva Meet
Washington Urges Russia to Return Snowden to U.S.
Egypt PM Condemns 'Heinous' Attack on 4 Shiites
As Egypt lurches into civil strife, local militias raise their heads. Obama keeps faith with Brotherhood

France Expresses ‘Great Concern’ over Sidon Clashes
Naharnet/France on Monday expressed “great concern” over the violence in the southern city of Sidon, condemning attacks against the military institution.“France strongly condemns the attacks targeting the army that have resulted in the death or injury of several troops,” foreign ministry spokesman Philippe Lalliot said.He added: “We support efforts made by President Michel Suleiman to safeguard security and draw an end to provocations whatever was their source.”“We call on the political parties to work for civil peace and stability in the country.”Sidon’s clashes between the army and supporters of Salafist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir have resulted in the death of at least 16 troops.The southern city’s clashes are one of the most intense bouts of violence in Lebanon linked to the conflict in Syria.
SourceAgence France Presse

Plumbly Stresses Need to Cooperate with Suleiman, State Institutions to Ensure Stability in Lebanon
Naharnet/United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Derek Plumbly condemned on Monday the clashes in the southern city of Sidon, extending his sympathy to Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji and to the families of those who have been killed in the fighting. He said: “We are at one in our support for President Michel Suleiman, for the institutions of the state and for the security forces, and in particular the army, at this difficult juncture.”“We stress the need for all concerned throughout the country to work with them to ensure the security and stability Lebanon’s people deserve, and to keep Lebanon safe from conflict,” he added. He made his remarks after a meeting with the five ambassadors of the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council to discuss recent developments with regard both to U.N. Security Council resolution 1701, on which U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will soon issue a further report, and to the situation in Lebanon.
Plumbly continued: “I would like again to emphasize the important role played by the Lebanese security and armed forces in sustaining Lebanon’s national unity and sovereignty.”“I and the ambassadors were unanimous in deploring the recent challenge to the rule of law in Sidon, and attacks on the Lebanese armed forces there and elsewhere,” he stated. “We stress the importance of the protection of civilians and look forward to the early restoration of order in the city,” said the U.N. official.Clashes broke out on Sunday between the army and supporters of Salafist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir in the southern city of Sidon.The military command said the number of troops killed in the fighting rose to 12. There were also more than 50 injuries among the ranks of the soldiers, but it was not clear how many fighters were killed in the unrest.
The clashes erupted when al-Asir's supporters surrounded an army checkpoint in the area, where a vehicle transporting other supporters of the cleric had been stopped.
After the armed men attacked the troops with gunfire, the army fired back.Later on Monday, U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Maura Connelly met with Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam to address the latest developments in Lebanon. Connelly expressed the United States’ strong condemnation of the violent clashes in Sidon and conveyed her country’s deepest sympathies and condolences for the deaths and injury of Lebanese army members and innocent civilians. She called on all parties “to exercise restraint and respect for Lebanon’s stability and security as well as the safety of civilians.”She further praised the efforts of the army and Internal Security Forces in working with political leaders to maintain peace and stability, underscoring the United States’ commitment to continue providing training and equipment to assist security forces in their critical role of preserving Lebanon’s unity. Connelly reiterated the United States position that government formation is a Lebanese process and that the Lebanese people deserve a government that reflects their aspirations and that strengthens Lebanon's stability, sovereignty, and independence while fulfilling its international obligations. The ambassador renewed the commitment of the United States to a stable, sovereign, and independent Lebanon.

Riyadh Voices Concern over Sidon Clashes, Urges End to Fighting for Stability's Sake
Naharnet/Saudi Arabia on Monday voiced “extreme concern” over the deadly clashes in the southern port city of Sidon between the Lebanese army and gunmen loyal to Islamist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir.
In a statement recited by Saudi Culture and Information Minister Abdul Aziz Khoja – the former ambassador to Lebanon – after cabinet's weekly meeting under the chairmanship of King Abdullah, Riyadh “expressed extreme concern over the development of the situations in southern Lebanon and the clashes in the city of Sidon.”It also urged all parties to “halt the fighting and not to escalate the situation in order to preserve the security and stability of brotherly Lebanon.”Sixteen troops have been killed and more than 50 wounded in the clashes, the army said in a statement.A source close to Asir said at least five of his supporters had also been killed.

Abbas Rejects ‘All Interference’ in Lebanese Affairs in Phone Call with Suleiman
Naharnet /Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday stated his rejection of "any interference" in Lebanese affairs.“We stress the rejection of the Palestinian factions of any interference in Lebanese affairs,” Abbas said in a phone call with President Michel Suleiman. He added: “We support the steps taken by the Lebanese state to prevent sedition and preserve stability and security in (the southern city of) Sidon.” Sidon’s clashes between the supporters of Salafist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir and the army spilled over to the Palestinian refugee camp of Ain el-Helweh where army checkpoints repeatedly came under fire.LBCI television also noted that “intense fighting” took place in the area of Taamir Ain el-Hilweh between the army and Fatah al-Islam and Jund al-Sham militants. The clashes in the southern city, which are one of the most intense bouts of violence in Lebanon linked to the conflict in Syria, resulted in the death of at least 16 troops.

Arab League Warns of Severity of Targeting Lebanese Army
Naharnet/The Arab League condemned on Monday the attack against the Lebanese army by supporters of Salafist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir in the southern city of Sidon on Sunday, calling on all Lebanese powers to exert efforts to avert strife.Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi warned of the “dangerousness of targeting the army,” demanding that the assailants be arrested and brought to justice.“Supporting the army will help it perform its national duties seeing as it is the symbol of Lebanon's unity, security, and stability,” he said. He also called on all political and religious leaderships to tackle the deteriorating security situation in Sidon in order to protect the people.Sixteen soldiers have been killed in the clashes, the army said Monday, in violence tied to rising sectarian tensions fanned by the Syria conflict. The fighting began on Sunday on the outskirts of Sidon and intensified on Monday.The security cabinet pledged the military would fight until it "finishes with" al-Asir. A military judge issued a warrant for the controversial cleric's arrest, a judicial source said.The violence is among the worst in Lebanon since the start of the Syrian conflict, which has inflamed sectarian tensions in the country, particularly between Shiite supporters of the Damascus regime and Sunni backers of the uprising.

Army Storms Asir's Security Zone, Cleric Disappears after 16 Troops Martyred
Naharnet/..The army on Monday stormed the security zone of Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir's mosque in the Sidon suburb of Abra and arrested a number of gunmen as the Islamist cleric fled to an unknown destination, following clashes that left 16 troops martyred. Several local TV networks aired live footage showing army troops advancing into Asir's security zone and arresting a number of his gunmen. Volleys of machinegun fire were being heard in Abra as the army scoured the security zone, while smoke could be seen billowing from some buildings in the area. "The army has arrested gunmen of Arab nationalities in al-Asir's security zone," al-Manar television reported.
A security source confirmed to OTV that al-Asir was not found in the security zone. Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3) said al-Asir and his close aide Fadel Shaker "managed to flee the security zone in Abra around 4:00 pm with the help of armed groups." MTV said al-Asir and Shaker fled the mosque through its backdoor and headed to the Ain el-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp, where they have hardline Islamist allies.
"The army is saying that al-Asir is not among the captives, the wounded or the dead," LBCI television reported.
But later on Monday, Free Syrian Army political adviser Bassam al-Dada told LBCI that "al-Asir is in the custody of the FSA and he is now inside Syria." Earlier, reports said al-Asir was entrenched in the mosque while sources said he managed to escape in an ambulance to an unknown location. LBCI also said that the Lebanese Red Cross transported more than 20 bodies of gunmen from the security zone in Abra.As they closed in on al-Asir's complex in Abra in the morning hours, army units came under sniper fire from his gunmen, who sought to push the soldiers back. Snipers from high-rise buildings helped the fighters in their quest to defend the mosque. Earlier, scores of employees at Sidon's Serail, that lies near Abra, escaped to safety after the building was hit with gunfire. Gunmen also blocked the road near Sidon's Sea Castle. But the military later reopened it.
Many people living on high floors came down or fled to safer areas, while others were seen running away from fighting areas carrying children. Others remained locked up in their homes or shops, fearing getting caught in the crossfire. Gray smoke billowed over parts of the city. The city has come to a standstill as the military continued to evacuate the residents of the buildings near the mosque.
In parts of the city, drivers waved white sheets from their car windows as they moved in a bid to protect themselves from sniper fire. State Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Saqr Saqr issued search and investigation warrants against al-Asir and 123 others including his brother and Salafist-turned singer Fadel Shaker. Earlier, al-Asir appealed to his supporters through his Twitter account in other parts of Lebanon to rise to his help, threatening to widen the scale of clashes. The military command said the number of troops killed in the fighting that erupted at noon Sunday rose to 16. There were also more than 50 injuries among the ranks of the soldiers.
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati announced a day of mourning on Tuesday, calling in a memo for a work halt from 12:00 pm till 1:00 pm
Meanwhile, the fighting in Taamir near the Palestinian refugee camp of Ain el-Hilweh stopped after militants from different nationalities belonging to Jund al-Sham and Fatah al-Islam clashed with the army to ease the pressure on al-Asir's gunmen. The fighting also reached the city's markets after masked gunmen began appearing there. But the army clamped down on them, preventing the clashes from spiraling out of control. Abra's clashes erupted when al-Asir's supporters surrounded an army checkpoint in the area, where a vehicle transporting other supporters of the cleric had been stopped. After the armed men attacked the troops with gunfire, the army fired back.
The military command vowed on Sunday to "strike back with an iron fist anyone who... spills the blood of the army.”
It urged political leaders in Sidon to choose sides and to stand either alongside the army, or with "those who promote strife and the killing of troops."The clashes in the southern city are one of the most intense bouts of violence in Lebanon linked to the conflict in Syria. Al-Asir, who is anti-Hizbullah, supports rebels fighting to oust Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Army Command Stresses Keenness on Places of Worship, Vows to 'Suppress Sedition'
Naharnet /The Army Command on Monday stressed its "keenness on places of worship" after its troops closed in on Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir's gunmen who entrenched themselves in the Bilal bin Rabah Mosque in Abra.
"Army units continue their military operations in the city of Sidon and the area of Abra to stamp down armed activities, arrest those who attacked army positions and restore security and stability,” the Command said in a statement. “A lot of gunmen fired sniper shots at army troops while using religious centers as barricades, in addition to turning innocent civilians into human shields to avoid direct confrontation with army forces,” the statement added. The Army Command stressed its “total keenness on places of worship and the lives of citizens,” while calling on “the gunmen who attacked army positions and citizens … to surrender their weapons and turn themselves in immediately to army forces to avoid further bloodshed.”The Command noted that it knows the identities of the aforementioned gunmen “one by one.”
It stressed that “the army will press on with its efforts to suppress strife,” adding that its units “will not halt their military operations until security is fully restored in the city and its surroundings and until everyone abides by law and order.” The Command also called on citizens, “especially those present in the conflict zone or inside al-Asir's complex and its surroundings, who are facing security problems, to contact the Army Command's Operations Directorate on the phone numbers 1701 and 01422245 in order to address these problems as soon as possible and evacuate them if necessary.”
In a previous statement, the Command said the number of troops killed in the fighting that erupted at noon Sunday rose to 16. There were also more than 50 injuries among the ranks of the soldiers.
A source close to Asir said at least five of his supporters had also been killed.

Fadel Shaker’s Brother Killed in Abra Clashes
Naharnet /The brother of former singer Fadel Shaker was killed on Monday during the clashes between the army and the gunmen of Salafist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir in Abra neighborhood of the southern city of Sidon.
“Abu Abed Shmandour was killed in Monday’s clashes with the army in Abra,” the state-run National News Agency reported. “Six gunmen were also arrested during the army’s raids, among them is Abu Abed Shmandour’s son, who was disguised as veiled woman.”Meanwhile, MTV said that Fadel Shaker fled the Bilal bin Rabah mosque through its backdoor and headed to the Ain el-Helweh camp.
Radio Voice of Lebanon (93.3) said both men managed to flee the mosque with the help of armed groups around 4:00 p.m.LBCI television also revealed that the army seized control of the houses and offices that were occupied by Asir's group, confiscating quantities of arms, equipment, uniforms and al-Nusra Front flags.
Sidon’s clashes between the army and supporters of Salafist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir have resulted in the death of at least 16 troops.The southern city’s clashes are one of the most intense bouts of violence in Lebanon linked to the conflict in Syria.

Miqati, Salam, ex-PMs Reject Attacks on Army, Urge Closure of 'All Security Apartments, Zones'
Naharnet /Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati, Premier-designate Tammam Salam and the former prime ministers on Monday condemned "any attack on the army, whichever side it may come from," while demanding the closure of "all security zones."In a statement issued after a meeting at the Grand Serail, the conferees "stressed their condemnation and rejection of any attack on the army or any security institution, whichever side it may come from, because the army is the shield of the country in the face of disintegration and the undermining of Lebanon's image and independence.”
And as they stressed their commitment to "the state and its institutions, topped by the military and security institutions," they called for "putting an end to futile attempts to put the army in a confrontation with the Sunni sect, while they are the advocates of the state and law.""We voice our solidarity with our people in all the regions who are feeling that the law is only being imposed on them, while it should be imposed on everyone because the state must be responsible for everyone without selectivity," said the statement which was recited by Miqati.
The conferees called on the army to "shoulder its responsibilities in a full manner," urging the Sunni community to "pay attention to the trap that is being set for them and for the army with the aim of stirring discord between them and the army."They also called for “implementing a security plan that prevents armed activities in a comprehensive manner and targets all security zones and security apartments.”
The prime ministers stressed the importance of “arresting those who attacked the army and holding them accountable” after conducting an “instant probe.”
And as they warned against being dragged into “the trap of sedition and divisions,” the conferees underlined the importance of “clinging on to coexistence and preserving civil peace.”They also emphasized the importance of dissociation from the Syrian crisis and of abiding by the Baabda Declaration in order to protect the Lebanese from “regional conflicts.”The prime ministers called for forming a new cabinet as soon as possible “so that it can shoulder its responsibilities amid these difficult circumstances.”
Sixteen troops were killed and more than 50 wounded in clashes between the army and gunmen loyal to Islamist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir on Sunday and Monday.
A source close to Asir said at least five of his supporters had also been killed. On Monday afternoon, the army stormed Asir's security zone in the Sidon suburb of Abra and arrested a number of gunmen as the Islamist cleric fled to an unknown destination. Abra's clashes erupted when al-Asir's supporters surrounded an army checkpoint in the area, where a vehicle transporting other supporters of the cleric had been stopped. After the armed men attacked the troops with gunfire, the army fired back.Abra is home to a mosque where Asir used to lead the main weekly prayers on Fridays. The sheikh had claimed that Hizbullah uses apartments in Abra to keep him under surveillance.He also said the Lebanese army has provided cover to Hizbullah, whose members are fighting alongside Syrian President Bashar Assad's troops against rebels.

Hariri: We Will Remain with Army, Every Outlaw Must be Dealt with in Same Manner
Naharnet /Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Monday stressed that al-Mustaqbal movement “will remain with the army,” saying the military institution did the right thing by confronting Islamist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir.
“The army offered major sacrifices and we must all embrace it,” Hariri said in an interview on Future TV.
“We in the al-Mustaqbal movement will remain with the army, no matter what they are saying and no matter how much they try and our project will remain the state,” he stressed. “Let no one try to remove us from this path and we will remain firm and steadfast in this direction,” he went on to say. Hariri revealed that he has been communicating with Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji “amid this difficult situation” and saluted President Michel Suleiman “who followed up continuously on matters,” noting that “his sovereign stances protect Lebanon and the Lebanese.”
“The main problem in Lebanon is the proliferation of weapons in the hands of armed groups and this problem will lead to confrontations in the country,” Hariri pointed out.
“We will continue to say that arms are the main problem in the country,” he added.Addressing protesters who took to the streets in solidarity with al-Asir, Hariri said: “Some people are seeking problems and when they block the roads they are blocking their own roads and this is not a solution.”“The solution is not in forming groups such as Asir's group to confront the state,” he stressed.
“Perhaps the method (of dealing with al-Asir) was harsh but anything against the state must be dealt with in the same manner and no one is bigger than his country, and if anyone believes the opposite, a day will come and they will ask the state for help and protection,” Hariri noted.“Today, the army made major sacrifices and it's about time we extended the the mandate of the army commander and to do something for the army instead of only praising it,” he said. He called on Sidon's residents to be “patient,” hoping the southern city will restore its position. Sixteen troops were killed and more than 50 wounded in clashes between the army and gunmen loyal to Islamist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir on Sunday and Monday. A source close to Asir said at least five of his supporters had also been killed. On Monday afternoon, the army stormed Asir's security zone in the Sidon suburb of Abra and arrested a number of gunmen as the Islamist cleric fled to an unknown destination.
Abra's clashes erupted when al-Asir's supporters surrounded an army checkpoint in the area, where a vehicle transporting other supporters of the cleric had been stopped.
After the armed men attacked the troops with gunfire, the army fired back. Abra is home to a mosque where Asir used to lead the main weekly prayers on Fridays. The sheikh had claimed that Hizbullah uses apartments in Abra to keep him under surveillance.He also said the Lebanese army has provided cover to Hizbullah, whose members are fighting alongside Syrian President Bashar Assad's troops against rebels.

Syria Says Assad Won't Cede Power at Geneva Meet
Naharnet/Syrian President Bashar Assad will not step down at a proposed peace conference in Geneva but will only discuss the formation of a national unity government, the foreign minister said on Monday.
Speaking at a press conference in Damascus, Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem also slammed a decision by supporters of the Syrian opposition to arm the rebels, saying it would only prolong a conflict already in its 28th month."President Bashar Assad will not resign. If your condition (for talks at Geneva) is President Assad's resignation, don't bother coming," he said."We will head to Geneva not to hand over power to the other side... We will go to Geneva in order to set up a real partnership and a broad national unity government."Despite supporting opposing sides in the conflict, Russia and the United States have spearheaded an initiative to hold a peace conference in Geneva.But prospects for the conference appear dim, and it has already been pushed back from a mooted June date until July at the earliest.
The opposition has said that any solution to the conflict must involve Assad's departure, something the regime has repeatedly ruled out.
The opposition has also set other conditions for its attendance, including the withdrawal of Hizbullah fighters from neighboring Lebanon who have intervened in support of the Assad regime.The Syrian government has said it will attend the conference, but has made clear it has no plans to cede power. Muallem also lashed out against a decision by the Friends of Syria group of Arab and Western governments that back the opposition to step up their assistance to the rebels."Two days ago a conference (of the Friends of Syria group) was held in Doha. They emerged with a clear decision to arm the opposition... This will only prolong the crisis," Muallem said. Qatar said the Friends of Syria group had agreed on a "secret" plan to ramp up assistance to the rebels.U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry pledged additional support for the rebels to end an "imbalance" in Assad's favor. "Who decides when the balance needs to be restored?" asked Muallem. "They say the restoration of balance is aimed at forcing the Syrian government to attend the Geneva talks. We said we are ready to attend -- but what about the other side?" he asked. The Friends of Syria group "said they are acting for the sake of the Syrian people. Does killing the Syrian people achieve that goal?" Muallem warned that any arms provided to the opposition would end up in the hands of Al-Nusra Front, a rebel group that has openly proclaimed its allegiance to Al-Qaida and is on Washington's terror blacklist."Why don't they (the Friends of Syria) see how they are contributing to terrorism? "I only want to say that what was decided in Doha is dangerous because it aims at prolonging the violence, and it encourages terrorism," he said."Arming the opposition will be an obstacle to the Geneva conference and will kill more of our people."Source/Agence France Presse.

Geagea Meets Suleiman: Asir Phenomenon Product of Hizbullah Phenomenon
Naharnet/Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea noted on Monday that the “phenomenon” of Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir is a product of local conditions in Lebanon, calling on all Lebanese to support the army and state given the clashes in the southern city of Sidon.He told Free Lebanon radio: “The phenomenon of Hizbullah produced several other phenomenons, including that of al-Asir.”
“We are all citizens who enjoy the same rights and duties, but when one citizen sees that another enjoys superiority over him regarding these rights, then he is bound to react against this reality,” he said.
“Hizbullah has violated all laws and state institutions seeing as it revolts against any political issue that it opposes, which was demonstrated during the May 7, 2008, clashes,” Geagea continued.“We believe that the army's tackling of the situation in Sidon marks the beginning of addressing the possession of illegitimate arms and the presence of 'statelets' in Lebanon,” he noted.
“When a portion of Lebanese believe that they have the right to form an armed group independent of the state, then other Lebanese will follow suit,” he explained.
“This is the mistake that al-Asir committed and the only way to end this reality lies in resorting to state institutions, starting with the army,” he remarked.
“We can no longer tolerate illegitimate arms, whether they are in al-Asir's possession or Hizbullah's,” he said.
Moreover, Geagea added that the demand to eliminate al-Asir's phenomenon should continue to include the arrest of those who killed Hashem al-Salman in front of the Iranian Embassy in Beirut on June 9.
“Tackling one phenomenon and not the other will not end the current situation in Lebanon, because similar armed groups will emerge in the country in the future,” he explained.
“The bigger problem lies in the presence of Hizbullah because failure to tackle this problem will create future one and we will continue to move from one bad situation to a worse one,” noted the LF leader.
“From now on, we will demand that the state perform its duties until the end, which goes beyond ending the unrest in Sidon,” he said. “Where are Salman's murderers?” he wondered. Lebanese Option Party member Hashem Salman was killed and at least eleven others were wounded in a scuffle between supporters of Hizbullah and protesters near the Iranian Embassy in Beirut.
The demonstrators were holding a sit-in near the embassy to protest Hizbullah's involvement in the war raging in Syria.
Geagea stressed that the state cannot choose to assume its full responsibilities at certain instances, while at others, it only perform part of them. “Officials cannot remain in power if some regions remain outside the state's control for unknown reasons,” he added. On Sunday, Geagea had held talks with President Michel Suleiman at the Baabda Palace.
He said that the visit was scheduled before the eruption of the Sidon clashes. He revealed that the discussions focused on the unrest and the security situation in Lebanon.
He later contacted Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji, MP Bahia al-Hariri, and head of the Mustaqbal bloc MP Fouad Saniora to discuss the latest security developments. Clashes broke out on Sunday between the army and supporters of Salafist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir in the southern city of Sidon.
The military command said the number of troops killed in the fighting rose to 12. There were also more than 50 injuries among the ranks of the soldiers, but it was not clear how many fighters were killed in the unrest.
The clashes erupted when al-Asir's supporters surrounded an army checkpoint in the area, where a vehicle transporting other supporters of the cleric had been stopped.
After the armed men attacked the troops with gunfire, the army fired back.

Aoun Links Sidon Clashes to Uncontrolled Flow of Syrian Refugees into Lebanon
Naharnet/Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun condemned on Monday the clashes in the southern city of Sidon, linking the unrest to the “uncontrolled” flow of Syrian refugees into Lebanon.
He said during a press conference: “We had repeatedly stressed the need to pay attention to the flow of refugees in order to prevent their transformation into rebels who may combat the army.” “The government is not controlling the situation and we have repeatedly warned of this development, but no security measure was taken to monitor the flow of refugees,” added the MP. Asked who is responsible for the unrest, he responded: “Some sides responsible for the country's security have neglected their duties towards the army, their nation, and citizens.”“Those responsible for the security must assume their duties. Who allowed armed groups to gain power?” he wondered.Moreover, Aoun praised the army for its crackdown on the unrest in Sidon, hoping that its efforts will mark the beginning of “the liberation of Lebanon of criminal gunmen.”
Clashes broke out on Sunday between the army and supporters of Salafist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir in the southern city of Sidon. The military command said the number of troops killed in the fighting rose to 12. There were also more than 50 injuries among the ranks of the soldiers, but it was not clear how many fighters were killed in the unrest. The clashes erupted when al-Asir's supporters surrounded an army checkpoint in the area, where a vehicle transporting other supporters of the cleric had been stopped.After the armed men attacked the troops with gunfire, the army fired back.

Mouawad Contacts Qahwaji: Persistence of Illegitimate Arms Paves Way for Strife
Naharnet/Independence Movement leader Michel Mouawad condemned on Monday the clashes in the southern city of Sidon and the attack against the army, stressing his support for the state. He said: “The developments in Sidon demonstrate that ignoring the spread of illegitimate arms, regardless of the identity of their sectarian owners, poses a danger to the army, state, stability, and entire Lebanese entity.” He made his remarks after contacting Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji to condole him over the victims of the army during the Sidon unrest.Mouawad demanded that all sides “grant the army complete cover to defend itself,” rejecting the concept of imposing “security through the appeasement of all powers.”“The state with its political and military agencies are the sole guarantors of stability and security,” he remarked.
“Any arms outside the legitimacy of the state pose a threat to us all,” he warned. In addition, he voiced his support to the initiative of Mustaqbal bloc leader MP Fouad Saniora, who demanded that an end be made to Hizbullah's armed presence in Sidon, “which is the main reason for the spread of illegitimate arms in the city.” Clashes broke out on Sunday between the army and supporters of Salafist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir in the southern city of Sidon.The military command said the number of troops killed in the fighting rose to 12. There were also more than 50 injuries among the ranks of the soldiers, but it was not clear how many fighters were killed in the unrest.
The clashes erupted when al-Asir's supporters surrounded an army checkpoint in the area, where a vehicle transporting other supporters of the cleric had been stopped.
After the armed men attacked the troops with gunfire, the army fired back.

Sami Gemayel Calls for Curfew in Sidon, Beirut, Tripoli to Avert More Unrest
Naharnet/Phalange Party MP Sami Gemayel condemned on Monday the clashes in the southern city of Sidon, voicing the party's support for the army's efforts to crackdown on the gunmen.
He said after the party's weekly politburo meeting: “A curfew should be imposed in all the regions that are witnessing tensions.”He explained that a curfew should be imposed in Beirut and the northern city of Tripoli in order to avert unrest that may erupt there. “We have taken too long to give the army the green light to crackdown on gunmen in Lebanon,” he lamented. “Lebanon stands by the army in its efforts to restore the authority of the state,” he declared.“This requires that they perform their duty objectively and not in a selective manner,” explained the MP.He added that no one, regardless of their sectarian affiliations, should be allowed to carry arms in Lebanon.Moreover, he hinted that the presence of Syrian and Palestinian refugees in Lebanon helped contribute to the current unrest in the country, stressing that the party had longed warned of the possible threat they may present to Lebanon's internal security. “All sides must assume their responsibilities in preventing unrest in Lebanon,” he demanded. In addition, Gemayel said that the unrest in Sidon was a product of the concept of imposing security in Lebanon through the appeasement of all sides.“It is time to impose real security in Lebanon without compromise,” he declared. Being lenient with gunmen will only worsen the problem and embolden gunmen,” he explained. Furthermore, he said that the army is paying the price of imposing security through appeasement and “it is time to restore authority to the state, which requires supporting the army and standing against all who consider themselves above the law.”“No one should be led to believe that they can control Lebanon through force or the use of arms,” he stated.“We will not surrender Lebanon to armed groups and militias because that would mean the end of the country,” Gemayel said. In addition, he noted the government's failure to convene in order to address the situation in Sidon, “which is sign of its absence.”He therefore demanded that President Michel Suleiman take matters into his own hands, head to the Defense Ministry, and impose a curfew in the areas that have witnessed clashes and tensions. Clashes broke out on Sunday between the army and supporters of Salafist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir in the southern city of Sidon.The military command said the number of troops killed in the fighting rose to 12. There were also more than 50 injuries among the ranks of the soldiers, but it was not clear how many fighters were killed in the unrest.The clashes erupted when al-Asir's supporters surrounded an army checkpoint in the area, where a vehicle transporting other supporters of the cleric had been stopped.
After the armed men attacked the troops with gunfire, the army fired back. Tensions have since been high in numerous regions in Lebanon, especially in Beirut and Tripoli.
In Tripoli, army positions came under threat of gunmen, but then tensions have so far not escalated into violence.

Hizbullah Condemns Sidon Clashes: Army Guarantor for Civil Peace in Lebanon
Naharnet/Hizbullah slammed on Monday the attack against the army by supporters of Salafist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir in the southern city of Sidon on Sunday.Its said in a statement: “The army is the guarantor of civil peace in Lebanon and any attack against it is tantamount to an attack against the entire nation.”“The attack against the army on Sunday is an attack against all the Lebanese and their security, present, and future,” it declared.It highlighted the dangerousness of the attack since it targeted a “main state institution that guarantees Lebanon's civil peace.” The attack should stand as an opportunity for the Lebanese, regardless of their affiliations, to support the army, continued the statement. Hizbullah also demanded that “all measures be taken to put a complete stop to such assaults against the army and bring the assailants to justice.” Sixteen soldiers have been killed in the clashes, the army said Monday, in violence tied to rising sectarian tensions fanned by the Syria conflict.The fighting began on Sunday on the outskirts of Sidon and intensified on Monday.The security cabinet pledged the military would fight until it "finishes with" al-Asir.A military judge issued a warrant for the controversial cleric's arrest, a judicial source said.The violence is among the worst in Lebanon since the start of the Syrian conflict, which has inflamed sectarian tensions in the country, particularly between Shiite supporters of the Damascus regime and Sunni backers of the uprising.

Qabbani Rejects Army Defection Calls, Warns Sidon Incident Boosts Sedition
Naharnet /Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Qabbani rejected on Monday calls on Sunnis to defect the army, saying they promote sedition and leads to chaos.“It's not allowed to engage in battles with the army under any pretexts,” Qabbani said in a statement.He appealed in a televised speech on the Lebanese to hold on to the army, stressing that “those who were responsible for the assault on the army should be held accountable.”
Qabbani said that the “security chaos in (the southern city of) Sidon and the (northern city of) Tripoli aims at distracting the army from its main duty along the border.”At least twelve Lebanese soldiers were killed in less than 24 hours in clashes with supporters of Salafist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir in the Sidon suburb of Abra.Asir had appealed to his supporters through his Twitter account in other parts of Lebanon to rise to his help, threatening to widen the scale of clashes.Abra is home to a mosque, Bilal bin Rabah, where Asir leads the main weekly prayers on Fridays. The sheikh believes Hizbullah uses apartments in Abra to keep him under surveillance. He also says the Lebanese army has provided cover to Hizbullah, whose members are fighting alongside Syrian President Bashar Assad's troops against rebels. Asir was unknown until around two years ago, when he gained prominence for his opposition to Hizbullah and its ally Assad. The military urged political leaders in Sidon to choose sides and to stand either alongside the army, or with "those who promote strife and the killing of troops".
The Sidon clashes spilled over other Lebanese regions on Sunday, as roads were blocked in the North, Bekaa and Beirut. On Monday, gunmen have been roaming the streets of Tripoli in a show of support to al-Asir, reported the National News Agency.

Al-Rahi Lashes out at 'Executioners,' Says Attack on Institutions is 'High Treason'
Naharnet/Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi described on Monday as “executioners” all parties that use illegitimate arms against the Lebanese people, saying the country was paying the price of their actions.
“When we use illegitimate arms against the people of our nation we all become executioners,” al-Rahi said during a ceremony in Adma, north of Beirut. “There is only one victim that is Lebanon,” he said. “They are all executioners!” he added about the March 8 and 14 alliances whom he blamed for the deteriorating security situation in Lebanon.He said the attack on the army in the southern city of Sidon is an assault on the state, the dignity of the people and the nation's self-esteem.He also described the attack on state institutions as “a crime against the people and high treason.”At least 12 soldiers have been killed in less than 24 hours of clashes with supporters of Salafist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir in Sidon. The fighting intensified on Monday, a day after the violence began, when al-Asir's supporters opened fire on an army checkpoint in Abra where the cleric's Bilal Bin Rabah mosque lies. Al-Rahi condemned “all those covering up for the crimes, including politicians,” saying they were as guilty as those committing the crimes.He urged the judiciary to arrest Sidon's gunmen and give them the ultimate punishment “although some politicians, who are professionals in covering up for crimes, might pressure it.”The patriarch said Sidon's fighting and similar cases in different regions in addition to the involvement in Syria's war came despite the Baabda declaration in which different parties had pledged to distance Lebanon from the region's crises. “They are the results of the persistence to paralyze state institutions and dismantle them,” he said.

Washington Urges Russia to Return Snowden to U.S.
Naharnet /The White House said early Monday it expected cooperation from Russia on returning fugitive intelligence leaker Edward Snowden back to the United States to face espionage charges.
"Given our intensified cooperation after the Boston Marathon bombings and our history of working with Russia on law enforcement matters -- including returning numerous high-level criminals back to Russia at the request of the Russian government -- we expect the Russian government to look at all options available to expel Mr. Snowden back to the U.S. to face justice for the crimes with which he is charged," said National Security Council spokesperson Caitlin Hayden.Hayden also expressed disappointment with Hong Kong for allowing Snowden to leave "despite the legally valid U.S. request to arrest him for purposes of his extradition under the U.S.-Hong Kong Surrender Agreement."We have registered our strong objections to the authorities in Hong Kong as well as to the Chinese government through diplomatic channels and noted that such behavior is detrimental to U.S.-Hong Kong and U.S.-China bilateral relations," she said.Snowden, a 30-year-old former intelligence contractor, is wanted by the United States on espionage charges, after he quit his job with the National Security Agency and fled to Hong Kong with a cache of secret documents.On Sunday, Snowden left Hong Kong for Moscow, despite Washington having requested his arrest and extradition. Hong Kong officials said the documentation supporting the extradition request had been incomplete.An Ecuadorian minister said Monday that Ecuador is analyzing an asylum request from Snowden."We are analyzing it with a lot of responsibility," Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino told reporters through a translator at a hotel in Hanoi, Vietnam. He says the asylum request "has to do with freedom of expression and with the security of citizens around the world." Patino spoke briefly to reporters on his way to a meeting with Vietnam's foreign minister. He did not say how long it would take Ecuador to decide.SourceAssociated PressAgence France Presse.

Egypt PM Condemns 'Heinous' Attack on 4 Shiites
Naharnet/Egypt's prime minister, Hesham Qandil, on Monday condemned the "heinous" attack against Shiites in a village south of Cairo which left four dead and several injured, the cabinet said in a statement.
Qandil "strongly condemns the ugly incident ... which resulted in the death of four Egyptian citizens," the cabinet said. "This heinous crime is incompatible with the principles and teachings of all heavenly religions, and contrary to the nature of religious tolerance in Egypt," he said.On Sunday, four Egyptian Shiite Muslims were killed when they were attacked by a hostile mob in the village of Abu Mussalem in the Giza province.
A house where the minority Shiites were meeting was surrounded by residents who told them to get out.When they refused, a crowd of several hundred people stormed the building and killed four Shiites and injured several others.The attack comes following weeks of toxic anti-Shiite rhetoric in the media and from Sunni Islamist leaders.Qandil expressed his "categorical rejection of hate speech and incitement to violence" and said investigations were underway and that those responsible would be held accountable.He said authorities would "ensure that the perpetrators be brought to justice to serve as an example to deter anyone thinking of tampering with the fabric of society."Shiites are estimated as a tiny fraction of Egypt's population of 84-million, most of them Sunni Muslim.SourceAgence France Presse.

As Egypt lurches into civil strife, local militias raise their heads. Obama keeps faith with Brotherhood

DEBKAfile Special Report June 24, 2013/After weeks of mounting anti-government turmoil across Egypt, army chief Abdel-Fattah al-Sissi finally spoke up Sunday, June 23, to warn that the Egyptian army would “not watch the country descend into uncontrollable conflict” ahead of the planned June 30 mass opposition rallies” or allow “an attack on the will of the people.”
Meanwhile, Egypt lurches day by day closer to what US and Israeli intelligence diagnose as “low intensity civil war.” In outlying towns, law and order is breaking down as armed gangs attack governors and burn emblems of government, while the ruling Muslim Brotherhood deploys armed men strike back at government opponents. The police are not intervening in the disorder - any more than the army has to date.
DEBKAfile‘s military sources note that Defense Minister al-Sissi avoided defining which side the generals regarded as representing the “will of the people” – President Mohamed Morsi who pushed them off the national stage, or the myriad opposition groups sworn to overthrow him on the first anniversary of his rise to power. They aim to replace him with a high presidential council headed by a Supreme Court judge. A number of opposition groups say they have collected 15 million signatures in support of their demand.
If they succeed in their high-stake bid, Egypt would undergo its third revolution in three years. The first in 2011 ousted President Hosni Mubarak, whose successor, the Supreme Military Council, was itself unseated in 2012 by the Muslim Brotherhood.
The popular voice, heartened by the middle class clamor rising in Istanbul’s Taksim Square and Rio de Janeiro, speaks with greater confidence in its power to put Mohamed Morsi’s head on the block and get rid of Islamist rule - especially since he has also fallen out with his own Muslim Brotherhood.
For the Egyptian opposition, the 16 provincial governors the president approved this month were the last straw which shut the door to any possible conciliation and dialogue with the incumbent rulers. Morsi was considered as going too far by his appointment as governor of Luxor, Adel Khayat, a member of the extremist Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiyya, al Qaeda’s Egyptian branch.
The president has been wooing for the favor of extremist Salafist and pro-al Qaeda circles for help in standing up to Muslim Brotherhood leaders. Realizing he was the symbol of rising discord, Khayat stood down Sunday, June 23, “for the sake of Egypt.”
From the start of his presidency, Morsi’s Brotherhood masters expect Morsi to bow obediently to their authority and perform their will. His continuing independence has confronted him with his own Islamic camp as the fifth adversary bent on his ouster, in addition to –
1. The secular and liberal groups for whom Islamic rule is anathema:
2. Religious minorities, led by the largest, the indigenous Christian Copts;
3. Sections of the Egyptian army;
4. Despairing elements of the population, who see their country disintegrating into chaos and corruption, with no hope of personal security for Egypt’s masses and many of them facing starvation.
There is no reliable estimate of the size and strength of any of those five groups, excepting the Muslim Brotherhood, or their chances of coming together – either to overthrow the president, or to back him against fellow opponents.
These evaluations are further complicated by the wide reporting gap between the state of affairs in Egypt’s main cities and the bulk of the population in the rural areas. Most accounts focus on Cairo and Alexandria or, at most, the Canal towns of Suez and Ismailia, or the urban areas of the Delta, which have veered completed out of the central government’s security control. The rest of the country might as well be on the other side of the moon.
According to DEBKAfile’s intelligence sources, local armed militias are springing up in the Suez and Delta cities and certain rural areas. Their political hues and plans of action are hard to pin down.
Two more imponderables further befog the direction in which Egypt may be headed: How the Obama administration views the mayhem touched off by the anti-Mubarak revolution it fostered, and the intentions of al-Qaeda’s Salafi allies in Sinai. According to our Washington sources, the US has pulled away from President Morsi in disapproval, while at the same time staying close to the Muslim Brotherhood. This orientation is manifested by the coming appointment of Anne Woods Patterson, former US ambassador to Cairo, as Under Secretary for the Near East. She has been Obama’s point person for cultivating good rapport with the Muslim Brotherhood, which he counts on as a reliable and steady hand at the helm of rule in Cairo. Washington also maintains a good relationship with the Egyptian army, which is judged as the only organized power system in the country, as well as the steadfast guardian of the historic Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty. Lawless Sinai falls through the cracks between the US, the Muslim Brothers and the military. Its destabilizing influence reaches into the Palestinian Gaza Strip and along the Egyptian-Israeli border running down eastern Sinai. The army is willing to combat arms smuggling through Sinai to the Palestinian Hamas in the Gaza Strip, but refuses to take on the mutinous Bedouin of the al-Qaeda-linked Salafi cells who roam freely through the peninsula’s wastelands.To step into the gap, the Obama administration last week decided to assign another 400 US soldiers to the 13-nation Multinational Observer peacekeeping force posted in Sinai to monitor the 1979 Egyptian-Israeli peace accord.

Women’s rights and the threat of Islamism
Iqbal Al-Ahmad/Asharq Alawsat
When ideological extremism of any kind turns into an attack on freedoms and rights, and terrorism takes away all rights—intellectual or otherwise—and seeks to eliminate all previous gains and advances, it becomes a nightmare.
In the Arab world, the impact of the recent period of rapid upheaval, or “Arab Spring,” soon became the “Women’s Autumn.” Many of the gains that were attained over many years as the result of a treacherous and difficult journey have been lost.
There is a consensus that Arab women were the first victims of the ascension of Islamists to power in countries such as Egypt and Tunisia. Extremism in the religious sphere often permeates into other areas, such as the intellectual, political, cultural and social. Because of this, the rights that had been gained in the 1960s and 1970s began to be threatened.
Following Muhammad Mursi’s victory in the presidential elections, the Egyptian Islamic leader Hazim Abu Ismail declared that Islamic ideology was now dominant. He summarized the reasons for women to fear political Islam when he said: “We want to implement Shari’a law and end cabarets, alcohol, adultery and topless women in films, at public squares and on beaches.”
According to Abu Ismail, if we look for the common factor in cases where the rules of Islam are broken, women are to be found. Cabarets, adultery and stripteases are all matters that concern women, and implementing Shari’a would, in this case, prevent women from spreading corruption and immorality.
Today, the achievements made by Egyptian women in all areas are threatened by parties controlled by radical religious ideology, which considers women primarily as a form of entertainment, after which their place is at home.
The Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) published a report after the arrival of the first elected civilian president following the January 25 revolution. It stated that “Egyptian women, in the new political system, are experiencing a lot of systematic violence … and have little freedoms and human dignity.”
I talk about the Egyptian experience because it is today’s reality. We see with our own eyes how the radical religious leadership represents the ideological changes taking place. Egyptian women have lost a lot since the Brotherhood’s rise to power, which reduced the number of women ministers from four to only one.
The phenomenon of sexual harassment against Egyptian women that took place in Egyptian squares during the recent changes, and their subsequent elimination of freedom of expression, was merely heaping insult upon insult. Harassment took place for purely political reasons—this was published clearly in many reports—in order to prevent women expressing themselves. It caused women to be fearful, and those who did not want to experience any harassment simply stayed at home; the opposition in the streets to Muslim Brotherhood rule went on without women’s voices.
Those who have been observing a variety of the Islamic leaderships in the Arab world have noted the absence of women from religious interpretations. Based on these, there has been a refusal to adopt numerous women’s rights. This indicates that the marginalization of women’s rights is a part of political Islam’s projects—the features of which began in the Arab world.
In democratic states, responsibility is collective. Despite this, the state also takes charge of various institutions and authorities.
In Kuwait, I have lived with this reality for many years. Women’s political rights have been refused by the National Assembly on account of external religious reasons, which postponed the presence of women in parliament—despite Kuwaiti women being among the most qualified Arab women for such responsibilities.
Unfortunately, the same principles can still be found among some of those occupying senior leadership positions. If it were not for an open government that is appreciative of women’s achievements, women would occupy no such positions. The late Emir, Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad, set out to grant political rights, but was brought down in the National Assembly when it was discussed within a purely religious framework. The issue later returned to the Assembly and, with difficulty, after lengthy discussions, it was approved.

Opinion: The Muslim Brotherhood has failed in Egypt

Tariq Alhomayed/Asharq Alawsat

Regardless of what 30 June protests bring about, reality shows that the Muslim Brotherhood have failed in Egypt and the region
Regardless of the results of the forthcoming 30 June demonstrations in Egypt, and whether the opposition succeeds in toppling the president or not, reality says the Muslim Brotherhood’s project in Egypt has failed, and that the Brotherhood will suffer from this failure for many years, in Egypt and the region.
When former President Mubarak resigned, the Brotherhood gave endless promises for democracy, but their promises were empty. The way the Brotherhood has dealt with every crisis in Egypt was tinged with attempts to insult the intelligence of others and exclude them, and by applying the principle of divide and rule, which divided everything in the country.
The Muslim Brotherhood tried to exclude the military, and the time for that was suitable for that, because both revolutionaries and opposition agreed. Then the exclusion of the military became a plan to exclude all; from Azhar and the judiciary, to the media, even the opposition itself; not to mention trying to monopolize the constitution and try to pass it hurriedly, with the exclusion of others.
All this took place during a frightening economic downturn which threatened the Egyptian state as a whole.
What is stunning about each directive or resolution from the ruling authority–or the Brotherhood one can say–is that they clashed with the public and the institutions, causing more division internally, and raising confusion and concern externally.
With regards to the external side, the Brotherhood’s chaotic rule was also stunning in most issues, from the Iranian issue to the Renaissance Dam (Ethiopia), to the Syrian issue. Yet, that was not enough for the organization; with efforts increasing in Egypt to prepare for the 30 June protests, which aim to topple the president, the Brotherhood resorted to methods which implicated them further. Instead of giving political concessions, or try to make reconciliation efforts, they resorted to escalation on the street, and labeling others as infidels and traitors, and threatening to crush their political opponents.
The fact is, If Mubarak and his aides were three days late in their dealing with the 25 January revolution, as we wrote at the time, the Brotherhood today are years late in dealing with reality. One must ask the question: Where are the sensible men of the Brotherhood? Does the Brotherhood want to spill blood in Egypt to be like Assad and Gaddafi? Or do they want to lead Egypt a state to ruin? Did the alleged Brotherhood democracy only mean reaching power, followed by the Khomeini exclusionary approach, which was adopted by the Iranian revolution, and dress that approach with an Islamic cover to guarantee staying in power?
In summary, what history is going to remember is that the failure of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt was caused by the Muslim Brotherhood themselves, not their enemies, internally and externally, especially when the Brotherhood decided to rule Egypt with a group mentality, and governed it like an opposition, not a political authority, which applies the principle of good governance, brings together not divides; a principle which gives the impression that the ruler believes in sharing authority, not monopolizing it, and also believes in the sanctity of preventing bloodshed, and not dealing softly with those who label others as infidels and traitors, and threaten the social security of the country as a whole.
Therefore, and regardless of what the 30 June demonstrations produce, reality says the Muslim Brotherhood plan in Egypt and the region has failed, and this is what a small number of sensible people had warned against.