The incident in Basharri, which resulted in the deaths of two young men, triggered widespread condemnation and a consensus on the necessity of revealing and holding accountable those involved.
Lebanese Grand Mufti Sheikh Abd al-Latif Daryan conducted a phone call with Faisal Karamé, the head of the "Movement of Dignity" and a member of the "National Accord Bloc," discussing the incident that took place in the Qornet al-Sawda area. He urged Karamé to "help calm the situation and to insist on using rational discourse and appealing to national sentiment on this matter, especially since there is a fifth column attempting to incite strife and fish in troubled waters."
Karamé expressed his gratitude to "Mufti Daryan for his wisdom and for his call for justice, which we all seek."
Sheikh Ahmad Qabalan, the distinguished Jaafari Mufti, declared that, "based on the principles of religion, worldly coexistence, and common living, we strongly condemn what happened in Qornet al-Sawda. We reject enmity, hatred, murder, and security chaos, warning against sectarian and political exploitation. We declare that what occurred is a heinous crime and an unacceptable atrocity; what is required is to quell the strife, not awaken it. Before God and in the conscience of this country, we affirm the unity of Lebanese blood without distinction between Muslim and Christian. What happened to the Touk family happened to all Lebanese, and we demand swift justice."
The parish of Ehden-Zgharta issued a statement calling the "regrettable and condemned" incident that took place yesterday in northern Lebanon a wound not only for Basharri but for Ehden, the Danniyeh, the entire north, and Lebanon as a whole. They demanded justice and the handing over of the perpetrators, stating, "They do not represent their religion or their region; rather, they expose innocents in these areas to numerous dangers and distort their honorable religion and beautiful region and its good people." They urged the security forces, particularly the Lebanese Army and judiciary, to handle matters with wisdom, firmness, and courage, and emphasized the need to refrain from sectarian and regional incitement and retaliatory calls.
The Islamic Group in Tripoli and the north issued a statement emphasizing the necessity of prioritizing reason and wisdom over recklessness and revenge, noting that "violence leads to more violence, and murder only begets murder." They urged all rational individuals in Basharri and Biqa` Safrin to quickly contain the tragedy that befell the two beloved towns, without ignoring the actions of the offending killer, whatever their affiliation. They reaffirmed that it is in everyone's interest to maintain security and calm, especially in the critical circumstances currently facing the nation.
Deputy Taha Najib pointed out that, "in light of the difficult circumstances plaguing the country, where crises of politics, economy, finance, and livelihood are unfolding, today's incident in Qornet al-Sawda adds weight to the burdens on this troubled nation." He called on the people of Basharri and the Danniyeh not to succumb to strife, to heed the voice of reason and wisdom, and to leave matters in the hands of the army and security forces to perform their role in maintaining security and addressing the emerging situations.
For his part, MP Ihab Matar condemned the incident in Basharri as a "described crime, an act that is denounced and demands action from the state through its security and judicial apparatus to put an end to uncontrolled weapons and the spilling of innocent blood."
The National Moderation Bloc expressed condolences to the families of the victims of the Qornet al-Sawda incident and to all the residents of Basharri, affirming their condemnation of this heinous crime. They urged all parties involved to prioritize wisdom, reason, and nationalism in responding to this painful incident, calling for reliance on state institutions and the judiciary, and demanding rapid investigations to ensure that justice is realized without any protection for perpetrators or any political or sectarian exploitation of the case.
The Progressive Socialist Party strongly condemned the heinous crime that took the lives of two young men from the Touk family from Basharri and extended condolences to their families and the local community while calling for the elevation of reason and calm.
Sleiman Frangieh, head of the Marada Movement, expressed his sympathy for the victims’ families in Basharri, stating, "May their blood be a sacrifice on the altar of national unity. While we call for wisdom to cut off any path to strife, we urge the security and judicial authorities to work swiftly to uncover the truth and achieve justice."
MP Ali Khateeb expressed his sadness and sorrow over the Qornet al-Sawda incident and its aftermath, calling for rationality and wisdom to prevent a possible sectarian strife in light of the difficult circumstances Lebanon is experiencing.
The Maronite League vehemently condemned the "assassination of the Basharri citizen Haytham Touk by a sniper from the outskirts of the Danniyeh" and expressed sorrow over the loss of Malik Touk. They called for calm and stressed the need for the army to pursue the criminals and bring them to justice.
Sami Gemayel, head of the Phalange Party, conducted a series of calls to understand the facts of what transpired in Basharri, including communications with the Army Command and Samir Geagea, who briefed him on the preliminary investigations.
