Hariri Contacts Berri on Mar Mikhael Blasts: Leaderships Must Cooperate to Avert Strife

Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri contacted on Sunday Speaker Nabih Berri in order to discuss the latest developments, including the Mar Mikhael blasts in Beirut's southern suburbs.

He said in a statement: “It is not enough to condemn strife during such attacks, but national responsibilities require all leaderships to warn those seeking unrest to halt their attempts to weaken and replace the state.”

He stressed the need to intensify efforts to avert similar attacks in the future.

The former premier deemed the attack as a “terrorist crime, especially since it targeted a residential area.”

“We urge all sides to exercise diligence and realize the dangers of boasting about participating in external conflicts that are seeking to use the Lebanese people as their fuel,” Hariri added in reference to Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah's recent speech.

Four people were wounded on Sunday when two rockets were fired at Mar Mikhael.

Investigations are underway to determine the assailants.

Nasrallah had said on Saturday that the Lebanese rooting for the victory of President Bashar Assad's regime or the opposition's rebels should fight in Syria instead of clashing in the northern city of Tripoli.

“The age of referring to the Palestinian cause, the resistance and national unity for personal interests is over, and the Lebanese as well as Arabs and Islamic nations have come to recognize the truth. Time will reveal more lies,” Hariri told Nasrallah on Saturday.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights announced on Thursday that 104 Hizbullah members, fighting alongside regime forces, had been killed in Syria since last autumn.