Connelly Offers Condolences over Troops Killed in 'Fight against Violent Extremists'

U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Maura Connelly on Monday telephoned Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) Commander General Jean Qahwagi and expressed the United States’ “deepest condolences for LAF personnel killed and injured in Arsal,” the U.S. embassy said.

“Those LAF personnel lost and injured were engaged in the fight against violent extremists and the Ambassador underscored the shared commitment of the U.S. and Lebanese Governments in that struggle,” the embassy said in a communique.

During the phone call, Connelly underscored “the United States’ appreciation for the efforts of the Lebanese government as well as the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Internal Security Forces to counter violent extremists who threaten the safety of all those in Lebanon.”

The embassy stressed that the United States remains committed to strengthening the capacity of the Lebanese army “in securing Lebanon’s borders and defending the sovereignty and independence of the state.”

In an interview published in As Safir newspaper on Monday, Qahwaji stressed that the army will not compromise in the pursuit of the assailants in the Arsal clash.

The clash erupted as the army was pursuing a suspect wanted on terrorism charges.

Two officers, Pierre Bashaalani and Ibrahim Zahraman, and the suspect, Khaled Hmayyed, were killed in the clash.

Military sources told As Safir that one of the arrested suspects is a Muslim cleric who is accused of creating incitement against an army patrol that was involved in Hmayyed's pursuit.

A military source meanwhile told An Nahar that Bashaalani was not killed accidentally in the clash.

The criminals wanted to send a message to the army and the slain officers were murdered “with sharp objects in a Taliban-style execution,” he added.