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| US pledges support to Lebanon army |
| The United States has pledged continued support to Lebanon's army
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| UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
, 30-August-2007
10:14:5 AM |
| The United States has pledged continued support to Lebanon's army, which has been fighting a vicious battle against al-Qaida-inspired Islamist militants.
The pledge came during a visit by top US commander in the Middle East, Adm William Fallon, head of the US Central Command, who met separately with Prime Minister Fuad Saniora, Defence Minister Elias Murr and army commander Gen Michel Suleiman in brief trip to Lebanon on Wednesday.
In a statement after the meetings, US Ambassador to Beirut Jeffrey Feltman praised Lebanon's efforts and reiterated ''the strength of the strategic partnership between the United States and Lebanon.''
''Lebanon, you can count on us to support the aspirations of the heroic LAF (Lebanese Armed Forces),'' Feltman said.
The Lebanese army has been locked in fierce battles for the past three months with Fatah Islam militants holed up in a Palestinian refugee camp in northern Lebanon.
A total of 148 soldiers have been killed in the fighting, along with an unknown number of militants and about 20 civilians.
Feltman said the United States remains committed to providing the Lebanese army with the ''supplies they need to battle - and conquer - the armed extremists in the North. And the United States is delivering on our promise.''
During a defence ministry ceremony in which the commanders inspected Humvee vehicles - part of the US military assistance - Fallon was quoted by the official news agency as ''offering my services and those of my command to work with you to achieve matters that you consider beneficial in building the Lebanese Armed Forces.''
Washington and some of its Arab allies have airlifted supplies, mostly of ammunition, to the Lebanese army in the early days of the northern Lebanon fighting.
The military in Lebanon is an all-volunteer force of 56,000, with about 220 battle tanks, no effective air power and no air defense system.
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