Lebanese army ready to confront terrorism: commander

The Lebanese army was ready and highly qualified to confront terrorism and would continue its mission regardless of any political interference, Lebanese top army commander said Thursday in a TV interview.

"The army was forced into the battle to confront terrorism... The army is for all the Lebanese and would never be a side in the political conflict in the country," Lebanese Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji said.

"The main issue for the army now is to safeguard Lebanon from any kind of sedition and to confront terrorism," the commander stressed.

Qahwaji also pointed out that the Lebanese army has received advanced weaponry assistance from the United States, and military aids from Jordan.

The Lebanese army is now engaged in a fierce war against fundamentalist from the al-Qaida linked al-Nusra Front and the Islamic State (IS) entrenched on the eastern borders with Syria.

Last August, the militants overran the eastern border town of Arsal and were engaged in a five-day clashes with the Lebanese army.

Before withdrawing to Syria, the gunmen abducted at least 35 soldiers and policemen, and al-Nusra executed later four soldiers while the IS beheaded another one.

Saudi Arabia ordered an immediate financial support of four billion U.S. dollars for the Lebanese military and security agencies, and the first shipment of an arms deal with France is expected to arrive in Lebanon early April. Endit