US affirms continued support for Lebanon's army

Major General George Smith, the CENTCOM Director of Strategy, Plans, and Policy reiterated the United States support for the Lebanese army during a short visit he paid to Beirut, a US embassy statement said on Saturday.
Smith met with General Joseph Aoun on Thursday, September 7, the press release said.
“Major General Smith offered his compliments to the LAF’s recent military success. General Smith also expressed his condolences to General Aoun for the fallen Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) soldiers, captured by ISIS, in August 2014 and for the soldiers who were killed in the line of duty during the “Fajr al-Jouroud” operation,” it added.
“During the two-day visit to Lebanon, Major General Smith met with senior Lebanese military counterparts to discuss areas of cooperation to further develop LAF’s capabilities as the sole defender of Lebanese territory and borders,” it concluded.