BEIRUT: The head of the Lebanese Army said Tuesday the military would prevent Lebanon returning to being a place for settling scores and commended soldiers on their performance despite limited capabilities.

“I pledge to you today that there will be no going back and the army will not allow Lebanon to become once again an arena where others settle their accounts or a headquarters to export or import strife,” Army commander Gen. Jean Kahwagi said during a speech to Lebanese expatriates in the British capital.

He also said that the Army had managed to preserve civil peace to a large extent through measures such as controlling the borders with Syria, containing clashes in the north Lebanon city of Tripoli and cracking down on arms smuggling despite the limited capabilities.

“The Army, which succeeded in breaking the arm of terrorism in Nahr al-Bared [refugee camp in Tripoli] and implementing [U.N.] Security Council Resolution 1701 in south Lebanon in collaboration with UNIFIL is working hard with the available and meager means to control the security situation on the border and inside,” Kahwagi said.

The Army commander, who is on an official visit to London in a bid to develop and improve bilateral military cooperation, added that the challenges facing the military were substantial given the presence of Israel on the southern border and the repercussions from the crisis in Syria.