The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz, has ordered allotment of USD one billion in aid for the Lebanese Army to help the military in the tasks to maintain security in the country.
Speaking at a news conference, held at the Monarch's palace early on Wednesday, the visiting Lebanese former premier, Saad Al-Hariri made the announcement, saying the aid fund would be disbursed for the Lebanese Army, the Internal Security Force and other Lebanese security apparatuses to help them fight terrorism.
"Lebanon is currently experiencing a difficult phase due to the current dangers namely the events in Ersal where thousands of families have been attacked by those terrorists," Al-Hariri said, alluding to ongoing fighting between the army troops and a coalition of radical Syrian gunmen, who have recently sneaked into the border Lebanese town of Ersal from neighboring Syrian regions, attacked the regulars and terrorized the natives.
Al-Hariri expressed gratitude to the Saudi King for the tangible support for the army, underlining significance of such aid because the Lebanese security forces were in bad need for such backing "because terrorism is coming to us from everywhere." He confirmed that the fighting has recently erupted in and around Ersal after the army nabbed a leading member "of this terrorist group," the so-called "Islamic state," formerly known as the "Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant." He also affirmed that current mediation efforts aimed at ensuring withdrawal of the gunmen from the town and releasing a number of military personnel held by the militants.
Elaborating, Al-Hariri noted that the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques had predicted the current dangers, prevailing across the region, when he launched his initiative, ten years ago, to establish an international center for combating terrorism. However, he added, the King's call had fallen on deaf ears globally, and this prompted him in his latest address to renew the call for setting it up and urge religious scholars to abstain from radical rhetoric.