BEIRUT // Lebanon’s leading Sunni politician Saad Hariri returned from self-imposed exile on Friday to bolster the country’s army as it battles Islamist militants in the latest spillover from Syria’s war.
Mr Hariri’s visit, his first since 2011, comes after clashes between the army and militants on the border with Syria killed 17 troops. Nineteen Lebanese soldiers have been kidnapped.
The former prime minister arrived after announcing earlier that Saudi Arabia, one of his chief allies, had pledged US$1 billion (Dh3.67bn) to shore up the army and security forces against militants.
On Wednesday, a day after announcing the funding, Mr Hariri said he would consult with Lebanon’s prime minister Tammam Salam and the army and security forces on how they would be disbursed.
His arrival underscored the seriousness of the fighting in the Arsal region on the Syrian border.
Fighting that began there a week ago has eased, with a truce meant to lead to the withdrawal of gunmen from several militant groups fighting in Syria and the release of 17 policemen and 19 soldiers thought to be held hostage.
But the violence is the worst in the border region since the Syrian war began in March 2011, and has raised further concerns about the effects of the conflict on Lebanon.
Despite Beirut’s effort to insulate itself from the war next door, the fighting has spilled over and stoked existing political and sectarian anger.
Much of Lebanon’s Sunni community, including Mr Hariri, supports the Sunni-dominated uprising against the Syrian regime of Bashar Al Assad.
But many Lebanese Shiites support Mr Al Assad, and the powerful Hizbollah movement has sent fighters to bolster his troops against the uprising.
Mr Hariri, 44, has voiced unconditional support for Lebanon’s army in the fight against militants in Arsal, calling it a “red line”.
But some of his constituents accuse the army of allowing Hizbollah free rein to fight in Syria and failing to protect Sunnis.
On Friday, the situation in Arsal was largely quiet, but several hundred residents who tried return to their homes were forced to flee after coming under sniper fire.
A witness said several were wounded and the army closed the route back into the town after the incident.
The fighting in Arsal began last Saturday when gunmen attacked soldiers after the arrest of a Syrian man accused of belonging to Al Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate, Jabhat Al Nusra.
Dozens of militants have been killed, and field hospitals have reported at least 47 deaths, with more than 250 wounded.
The fighting prompted army chief General Jean Kahwaji to urge France to speed up delivery of weapons being bought under a $3bn deal financed by Saudi Arabia.
And Mr Hariri announced on Wednesday that the kingdom had pledged $1bn in funds to bolster the Lebanese security forces.
On Friday, Mr Hariri said his stay in Lebanon would be “long”, and that the visit came “after the Saudi donation, which we must examine how to implement and translate in support of the army”.
Analysts said he would seek to rally the Sunni community around the army and bolster his standing in Lebanon, which he left in 2011 after his government collapsed when ministers from Hizbollah, his chief political rival, resigned.
“Hariri’s return can be seen as an attempt at unifying the Sunni community both around Lebanese state institutions, particularly the army, as well as around Saudi Arabia, which is now championing itself as a major counter-terrorism force in the region,” said Lina Khatib, director of the Carnegie Middle East Centre.
“Such a rallying of Sunnis would have a stabilising effect on the country and detach the Sunni community from being attracted to the extremism presented by groups” such as the Islamic State, she said.
Ms Khatib said that Mr Hariri was also “striving to regain a central political standing in Lebanon as the country looks forward to holding parliamentary and presidential elections”.
Mr Hariri’s father, Lebanon’s former prime minister Rafiq Hariri, was assassinated in a 2005 attack that his supporters blame on the Syrian regime and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah.
* Agence France-Presse
Stage result
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COMPANY PROFILE
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Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
Cracks in the Wall
Ben White, Pluto Press
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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ESSENTIALS
The flights
Etihad (etihad.com) flies from Abu Dhabi to Mykonos, with a flight change to its partner airline Olympic Air in Athens. Return flights cost from Dh4,105 per person, including taxes.
Where to stay
The modern-art-filled Ambassador hotel (myconianambassador.gr) is 15 minutes outside Mykonos Town on a hillside 500 metres from the Platis Gialos Beach, with a bus into town every 30 minutes (a taxi costs €15 [Dh66]). The Nammos and Scorpios beach clubs are a 10- to 20-minute walk (or water-taxi ride) away. All 70 rooms have a large balcony, many with a Jacuzzi, and of the 15 suites, five have a plunge pool. There’s also a private eight-bedroom villa. Double rooms cost from €240 (Dh1,063) including breakfast, out of season, and from €595 (Dh2,636) in July/August.
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
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At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Breast cancer in men: the facts
1) Breast cancer is men is rare but can develop rapidly. It usually occurs in those over the ages of 60, but can occasionally affect younger men.
2) Symptoms can include a lump, discharge, swollen glands or a rash.
3) People with a history of cancer in the family can be more susceptible.
4) Treatments include surgery and chemotherapy but early diagnosis is the key.
5) Anyone concerned is urged to contact their doctor
Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE fixtures:
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Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final
Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final
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Engine 3.6-litre V6
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Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km
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