Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea. (Credit: Photo released by the LF)
The Lebanese Forces (LF) marked the 11th anniversary of the deadly bombings at al-Salam and al-Taqwa mosques in Tripoli by expressing solidarity with the city's residents and honoring the victims.
On Aug. 23, 2013, separate explosions hit Tripoli’s al-Taqwa and al-Salam mosques, killing more than 40 people. The attacks took place against a backdrop of political tension between camps in Lebanon supporting and opposing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the context of the ongoing civil war in Syria.
In a statement issued by the LF's media office, the party said, "On the 11th anniversary of the crime of bombing the al-Salam and al-Taqwa mosques, the Lebanese Forces renew their solidarity with the people of Tripoli, pray for mercy for its martyrs, and affirm their support for the families of the victims and the injured. We express deep respect for the steadfastness of the people of al-Fayhaa in the face of the tyranny and crimes of the Assad regime in Lebanon."
The statement further condemned the bombings as a heinous act. "The bombing of the al-Salam and al-Taqwa mosques is a crime against humanity and the very concept of statehood. It is part of a series of crimes committed by the axis of evil in Lebanon, aimed at sowing discord among the citizens of this nation and spreading chaos."
The Lebanese Forces also pledged to continue their pursuit of justice alongside the people of Tripoli. "Our struggle and joint efforts with our people in Tripoli continue in order to achieve justice in all national matters, whether it concerns assassinations or the reckless involvement of Lebanon and the Lebanese in wars that have severely harmed Lebanon and brought no benefit to Palestine," the statement concluded.
The Lebanese Forces is a political rival to Hezbollah and a fierce critic of the party's actions in south Lebanon against Israel follwing Hamas' Al-Aqsa flood operation on Oct. 7.