On the occasion of the 72nd anniversary of the Army’s establishment, the armed forces commander General Joseph Aoun delivered the Order of the Day to the troops. It included the following:

Fellow troops
The Army Day comes upon us today while the Lebanese look up to your bravery and valor in the battlefield where you keep on offering sacrifices to defend your Nation, people and the flag. And as we celebrate this Day, we cannot but remember hero soldiers who martyred and others who were injured or abducted by terrorist organizations. Terrorism remains the same whether its aggressions are launched from the southern border or the eastern border where you have tightened the noose to the maximum around terrorists during the past years. Today, you continue to firmly target these terrorists during the recent incidents to frustrate any attempt that these terrorists might make to escape towards safe villages or towards refugee camps with the aim of taking innocent villagers as human shields.

Fellow troops
The consecutive preemptive operations that you conducted and keep on conducting in the frame of proactive security have protected the country and the people from grave dangers and minimized casualties in lives and properties. Your achievements are a source of pride to your army and to each and every one of you and a source of trust to the people and its political leadership that repeatedly confirmed on every occasion its appreciation to your efforts and sacrifices as well as your commitment to the higher humanitarian values and principles.
Being as such has turned you into the red lines that no one can cross for this transgression comes at the expense of the State interests and its institutions,  as well as the safety of the citizens and their sacred right of leading a safe and free life.

You are the ones who draw the red lines in front of anyone who attempts to destabilize peace and order, targets the Institutions and tampers with the democratic life both in spirit and in practice. And just as you defended national stability during all the period of the presidential vacuum down to the election of General Michel Aoun as President of the Republic, you are called once again to provide the necessary security procedures to ensure the safety of the upcoming parliamentary elections while abstaining from any interference that leads you away from the mission assigned to you in a way that guarantees holding the elections in an ambiance of security, freedom and democracy.

Fellow troops,
Your persistence in confronting terrorism and tracking down perpetrators, in parallel with your complete readiness to face the Israeli enemy threats  relying on your capabilities and the citizens right to resist and repel its aggressions  in addition to your fruitful cooperation with the friend International Force in the frame of implementing security council resolution 1701, thus leading to the protection of the state and its institutions and fortifying it from any internal or external danger. It also contributes to preparing the solid ground for the workshop of social, economic and reform development, which grants your efforts multiple national dimensions and requires you to assume additional responsibilities.
In your day, your crystal-clear image fills the nation’s conscience and the love of your army beams in the eyes of its citizens. So, remain committed to your vow to be a symbol of honor, sacrifice and loyalty and a hope that doesn’t disappoint the citizens.

Yarzeh on 31/7/2017

The Lebanese Armed Forces Commander