Lebanese Army denies sectarian claims over Pentagon delegation

BEIRUT — The Lebanese Army on Thursday denied reports circulated by some media outlets and on social media regarding the composition of the military delegation scheduled to take part in negotiations scheduled at the Pentagon on May 29, particularly allegations of sectarian allocation among officers.

In a statement, the army command said these allegations "in no way reflect the principles of the military institution." It stressed that the delegation, "regardless of its composition, remains committed to national constants," adding that the designated officers "represent the nation and remain faithful to the army's doctrine."

The command also recalled that members of the institution "carry out the command's decisions as part of their commitment to national duty."

On May 15, the U.S. State Department announced, after a second day of direct talks, that Lebanon and Israel had agreed to extend the cease-fire by 45 days. The spokesperson for U.S. diplomacy, Tommy Pigott, also said that a "political track" of the negotiations would reconvene on June 2 and 3, while a "security track" would be launched at the Pentagon on May 29 with military delegations from both countries.