Lebanon’s independence is threatened by “parties or groups” operating separately from the state, Lebanese President Michel Sleiman has said in a clear reference to Hezbollah on the eve of the country’s 70th anniversary of independence from France.
The celebration comes only a few days after blasts rocked Beirut, sparking more fears that the country is drifting into sectarian violence triggered by the conflict in Syria.
In his speech, Sleiman criticized Hezbollah’s continuous operation outside the state control and the militia group involvement in the Syrian civil war.