BEIRUT — Former Lebanese President Michel Aoun on Friday called for national unity to protect Lebanon’s sovereignty and pluralistic identity, marking the 20th anniversary of the withdrawal of Syrian troops from the country.

In a statement issued on the occasion, Aoun urged Lebanese citizens to safeguard "the sovereignty, freedom and independence of Lebanon through national unity and the rejection of any project that threatens the country's entity, identity or social fabric."

"Lebanon ... has faced occupations, tutelages and maneuvers that targeted its stability, internal cohesion and the effectiveness of its institutions, as well as persistent attempts to introduce demographic changes in its society to undermine its pluralistic nature," Aoun said. "Today, it faces dire challenges and major dangers arising from the Israeli occupation of part of our territory, ongoing aggression and projects aimed at effecting a radical demographic change ... by imposing the settlement of refugees and displaced persons," he added.

Syrian forces withdrew from Lebanon on April 26, 2005, under international pressure following the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in Beirut on Feb. 14 that year. The withdrawal ended nearly three decades of Syrian military presence.

During his presidency from 2016 to 2022, Aoun prioritized the return of Syrian refugees as a key element of his political agenda.