Lebanese army warns against country being embroiled in civil war

The Lebanese Army Command warned Friday against any schemes that aim to drag the country into a civil war, or embroil it in the conflict in neighboring Syria. The army command said in a statement that it "strongly sought in the past months to deter the transformation of Lebanon into an arena of regional conflicts and prevent the spillover of the Syrian crisis into its territories." "The army is determined to implement its plan not only in northern Tripoli but also in any other spots," the statement read, adding that "any armed action will face armed response." The army also urged the Lebanese to be vigilant and aware of any fabrications made by some political and religious figures, urging them to express their stances by peaceful means and be away from provocations. Sporadic riots have plagued northern Lebanese city of Tripoli since early 2011 when unrest erupted in neighboring Syria, leaving scores of casualties, including Lebanese soldiers.