Beirut- Lebanese President Michel Aoun declared Lebanon’s victory over terrorism, calling on the Lebanese to be proud of their army and security forces. He underlined the need “to take advantage of the victory to consolidate rapprochement and prevent political strife.” His remarks came during a news conference held at the Baabda Palace on Wednesday, in the presence of Army Commander General Joseph Aoun. “When I met the Army Chief in Yarzeh, I told the military that we expect them to win over terrorism and, today, we declare this victory,” Aoun said. “We congratulate the Army Command and all the military personnel who made this victory possible. We bow before the martyrs who fell,” he added. The Lebanese president stressed that revealing the fate of the abducted military men was among the main goals of the battle. “This goal has been achieved. However, we wish we were celebrating their liberation alive,” he stated. For his part, the Army commander said that the battle was launched to achieve two objectives. “The first is to expel terrorists from the areas in which they were located, specifically in Jroud Ras Baalbek, Al-Qaa and Al-Fakiha, and the second is to reveal the fate of the Lebanese soldiers,” he explained. On Wednesday, the head of the Lebanese Army received a phone call from the Commander of the United States Central Command, General Joseph Votel, who congratulated Aoun on the success of the Fajr al-Jouroud (Dawn of al-Juroud) Operation. He also stressed his country’s continuous support for the Lebanese army by developing its capabilities and strengthening its missions. Aoun, for his part, thanked the General for the US support, noting that the American assistance provided to the army played an effective and crucial role in the success of this operation.