Sources: Tripoli Riots Target Hariri’s Attempts to Form Gov’t

An Arab newspaper revealed Sunday a coup plot that sought to foil Saad Hariri's mandate to form a government in Lebanon through violent events in Tripoli and riots.

Al-Sharq Awsat Pan-Arab newspaper, quoting sources close to former prime ministers, reported that "the plot is to plunge the northern capital into a state of chaos, which will lead to the outbreak of bloody clashes between the protesters over their unbearable living conditions, and the security forces to bring down assigning Hariri to form the new government in the Tripoli street, and thus pressuring him to apologize for not forming it.”

The source affirmed that "the coup plot that targeted the northern capital is dead now in its infancy, and that Hariri will remain steadfast in his position and will not deviate from his vision for a government in accordance with the specifications set by French President Emmanuel Macron in his initiative to save Lebanon."

The source reaffirmed that the former prime ministers remain in support of Hariri, who will not apologize for not forming the government and will remain steadfast and will not submit to the extortion and intimidation campaigns practiced by President Michel Aoun and his political movement led by Gebran Bassil.

For several days, various Lebanese regions have been witnessing protests, marches, and road blockages despite the closure decision, while violent confrontations broke out yesterday evening in Tripoli for the second day in a row, between hundreds of demonstrators and security forces, resulting in a number of injuries.