Mansour Describes Ruwais Blast as 'Massacre', Warns of Sectarian Division
Caretaker Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour described on Sunday the car bombing that ripped through the southern suburbs of Beirut as a “massacre,” considering it a “blow for Lebanon's stability and unity.”
“Those who carried out the bombing will not hesitate to do it again not only in Beirut's southern suburbs but in other areas too in an attempt to create shock, balance and chaos,” Mansour said in an interview with An Nahr newspaper.
He pointed out that the name of the group that claimed the bombing in a YouTube video was used in an attempt to create sectarian division.
A group calling itself the Brigades of Aisha Umm al-Moemeneen claimed in an online video, which surfaced shortly after the attack, the blast that targeted Beirut's southern suburbs neighborhood of Ruwais where 27 people were killed and 336 others wounded.
“Terrorism has no identity or pattern,” Mansour pointed out.
He noted that Lebanon became a center for “terrorist networks.”
Concerning the abduction of two Turkish pilots on August 9, Mansour told An Nahar that efforts are ongoing to resolve the case and release them, voicing hope that joint Lebanese-Turkish efforts would end the matter.
“It's about time resolve all the abduction cases including the case of the abducted Lebanese pilgrims in Syria's Aazaz,” Mansour said, noting that some are exploiting the matter for personal gains.
Gunmen ambushed last week a bus carrying Turkish Airlines crew from Beirut's Rafik Hariri international airport to a hotel in the city, and snatched the pilot and co-pilot.
A previously unknown group calling itself Zuwwar Imam al-Rida claimed the abduction, and demanded that Turkey use its influence with Syrian rebels it backs to secure the release of nine Lebanese pilgrims kidnapped in Syria in May 2012.
The pilots were seized just outside the airport, in an area controlled by Hizbullah.
Asked if Lebanon is abiding by the dissociation policy, the caretaker FM noted that it is being used on the official level.
However, he expressed fear that the turmoil in the neighboring country Syria is negatively impacting the situation in Lebanon.
In the Baabda Declaration, 16 political leaders from both the March 8 majority coalition and the March 14 opposition agreed to avoid rhetoric that fuels sectarian incitement.
They also pledged to consolidate stability to prevent the country from descending into strife.
Lebanon is deeply divided into supporters and opponents of the regime in neighboring Syria and the conflict now in its third year has stoked sectarian tensions and violence in the country.
Over Lebanon's rejection to receive arms and electricity from Iran, Mansour held “some parties” responsible for the matter.
“There are some sides that reject to cooperate with Iran and sign around 27 agreements,” he stated.
over 10 years
Thank you Mansour for fore-warning us there will be more car bombings in "other" non-shia areas to create "balance" as you said. Balance is needed all over not just in terror. Yes, the dissociation policy is in effect as you rightfully said, but on "the official" level only; in speeches and meetings with foreign dignitaries. We all agree with you that there is no connection between the abduction of the Turks and our pilgrims however, as you mentioned "It's about time resolve all the abduction cases including the case of the abducted Lebanese pilgrims in Syria's Aazaz,”. Bless you for being the consummate diplomat.!
over 10 years
Mr Mansour, why can't Lebanon build it's own power planst to satisfy our country's needs instead if begging for Iran's electricity for which they will exact a political price we are unwilling to pay for. Iran is not a country most Lebanese want to emulate like you do.
Also, stop justifying the abduction of the two Turks. Please, enough already. Two wrongs do not make a right. You have been the worst minister of the exterior our country ever had. Unabashedly doing the bidding of Iran not of Lebanon. Please go away no one will shed any tears over you. Enough of your stale ideology and rhetoric already.
over 10 years
“Terrorism has no identity or pattern,”... Mansour terrorism has an identity, it is the Iranian militia that calls itself Hizbullah. It also has a pattern, it has once again usurped the authority of the state and is bringing war and destruction into Lebanon.
over 10 years
no offense, i hope you are gone soon. you have failed to represent ALL of lebanon and have put your sect above that of the country. that being said, maybe you should worry about FOREIGN affairs and stop entering the fray when your hizb iran/amal friends are being affected.
over 10 years
Stop stating the " Baabda Declearation " disassociation agreement !
This should also apply to ALL Countries involved & associating themselves with the Syrian conflict .
This should apply to the following :
Turkey
Saudi Arabia
The GCC States
Europe
USA
Egypt
Libya
Iraq
Jorden
Chechens
Yemen
& to all Islamic Jihadist / Wahibist with different names under the same umbrella calling themselves the FSA !
Signed Wolf .
over 10 years
Are you stupid or just acting that way? The Baabda Declaration is for Lebanese parties ONLY. This is not an international treaty, it concerns SOLELY the parties of Lebanon, so as not to drag LEBANON into the death-cycle in Syria. Get a brain.
over 10 years
iranian tricks, thats the way they act...
over 10 years
lol
over 10 years
How come Hezbollah never said a thing when downtown Beirut was hit in 2005? Oh wait, because instigated the attack.....
over 10 years
Are you on hash?
over 10 years
Crack, more likely.
over 10 years
But whatever happened to the idiotic theory we are fighting them over there so so they don't come over here, is that one of hassan's "it sounds good but I knew the moment I said it it's a damn lie"
over 10 years
we are already divided ya Mansoor!
over 10 years
No doubt this was a real massacre because the innocent people as usual pay the mistakes of the political leaders who don't care to the suffering of the innocent. When would Lebanon live in peace for God's sake? We are simply tired of killing!
Oui Mr. Mansour it's time to wake up. The very behaviour of Hizbullah is sectarian with a shiite militia dominating the other sects in this country when it comes to law, order, justice and public money. Hizbullah is stealing away custom revenues badly needed to pay for instance the salaries of the teachers in this country. Hizbollah and gave a "lessons" to the sunnis in Beirut. M14 leaders are killed and the justice and police are paralyzed by the dominance of Hizbollah. Hizbollah build on land owned by christians and no one can do anything about it.
Mr. Mansour you should condemn as much the sectarianism of the islamists as that of Hizbollah which by the way both are considered as terrorists organizations.