Lebanese politicians condemn killing of general

Beirut: Politicians from all sides of the sectarian divide condemned the killing of Brigadier General Francois Al Hajj in a car bomb attack on Wednesday.

Christian opposition leader Michel Aoun, called on the interior minister to resign, adding: "We are facing a security catastrophe today.''

Parliamentary majority leader Saad Al Hariri, said: "The latest criminal explosion ... is a link in the terrorist chain directed at Lebanon and its institutions, foremost among them the national army, which today pays the price for defending Lebanon's sovereignty, independence and free will.''

Hezbollah urged the Lebanese to "unite and rally around the army and its national role and to work seriously and effectively towards political consensus".

Syria denounced the assassination, saying Israel and its "tools in Lebanon" were the beneficiaries of the blast.