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US general discusses military aid on Lebanon visit

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In this photo released by the Lebanese Government, Lebanese President Michel Aoun, right, meets with U.S. Central Command Chief Gen. Joseph Votel, center, and U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Elizabeth Richard, left, at the Presidential Palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon, Sunday, Dec. 18, 2016. (Dalati Nohra/Lebanese Government via AP)

BEIRUT – The commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East has met with top officials in Lebanon to discuss American military aid and other efforts to contain the fallout from the civil war in neighbouring Syria.

Army Gen. Joseph Votel, the head of U.S. Central Command, met with Lebanese President Michel Aoun, Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Defence Minister Yaacoub Sarraf upon his arrival in Beirut on Monday.

Votel did not make any public comments in the Lebanese capital. The U.S. has been speeding up delivery of ammunition to help Lebanon’s military combat jihadi groups near the border with Syria.

Washington has provided more than $1 billion in military assistance to Lebanon since 2006.

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