Geagea: Syrian people have right to rule

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said on Thursday that Syrians had the right to rule their own country, slamming Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun's alleged defence of  Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Gaegea claimed Aoun supported President Assad more than Assad's own family. The politician said the FMP leader was “fighting a war of ethnic cleansing against the Sunnis in the region by making them look like they are extremists,” the Lebanon National News Agency reported. “Aoun aims to portray the Future Movement as a fundamentalist movement while his own allies, Iran and Hezbollah, are conservative and its members don’t even wear ties.” The LF leader also commented on the recent unraveling of a “Salafi network” in Lebanon headed by Abu Mohammad Tawfik Taha, who according to a Fatah official was present in the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp. Geagea called for withdrawing Palestinian arms in and around refugee camps upon a decision by the Lebanese cabinet. “The Palestinian factions confirmed their willingness to cooperate with the government if the latter decides to take such a decision. But those objecting to this are Syria, Hezbollah and their allies, mainly Aoun.” “If we are forced into another battle similar to that of Nahr al-Bared, then let the army enter Ain al-Hilweh and arrest (Taha). If the government heads in that direction, the opposition will support entering Ain al-Hilweh and all other camps to rid them of arms,” Geagea added.