By NNN-KUNA,
Beirut : Lebanese President Michel Suleiman strongly condemned the blast that rocked the northern city of Tripoli earlier Wednesday, killing nine people, including seven soldiers, and wounding 31 others.
A presidential statement said Suleiman “strongly condemns the terrorist crime that took place this (Wednesday) morning in Tripoli and claimed the lives of several innocent people, both civilians and military personnel.”
It added that the president “reaffirmed that the Lebanese Army and the security forces will not kneel before these attempts of intimidation.”
The president also reiterated his call for reconciliation and solidarity of the Lebanese parties against this form of terrorism “which is reaching out to harm us all, without distinction, and serves only the interests of the Israeli enemy, thus prompting us to stand together as one against it.”
He called on the authorities to work swiftly to name the perpetrators.
Wednesday morning’s blast in Tripoli left nine people dead, including seven military personnel, and 31 others injured.
The bombing was the result of an explosive device going off at a bus station where a bus was to be boarded by civilians and military employees heading to work.
Tripoli was recently the scene of violent clashes between loyalists and opposition supporters which left scores dead or wounded.
The bombing coincides with a visit by Suleiman to Syria, his first since being elected on May 25.