Former Director General of the Internal Security Forces, Maj. General Ashraf Rifi considered on Thursday that the clashes in Tripoli “are caused by those who failed to invade" Syrian city of al-Qusayr .

Former Director General of the Internal Security Forces, Maj. General Ashraf Rifi considered on Thursday that the clashes in Tripoli “are caused by those who failed to invade" Syrian city of al-Qusayr .

He added that "this failure led to Tripoli clashes to divert the attention from the battle in Qusayr.”

Dismissing the role of the Lebanese army, Rifi pointed that the “brave gunmen” in Tripoli are defending their city’s dignity against “the rash foolish parties” that threatened and attacked it, in reference to militants from Jabal Mohsen.

Rifi further stressed that Tripoli is the city of tolerance where all people can live peacefully, as he vowed that “those who attacked it will pay heavy price.”

Meanwhile, and in a bid to raise tensions in the northern city, General Rifi considered that “the fighters in Jabal Mohsen are connected with Hezbollah and Syria.”

Contradicting what he previously mentioned, Rifi said however that Tripoli "relies on the public institutions" and hoped that the clashes will end soon.