Lebanon warns militant groups against violating the ceasefire

Beirut: Lebanon's Defence Minister on Sunday said any group breaking the cease-fire in southern Lebanon would be ``decisively dealt with'' and would be considered a traitor.

Defence Minister Elias Murr's comments apparently were to air concerns that factions other than Hizbollah, which he said is committed to the ceasefire, may attempt to draw Israeli retaliation by firing on the Jewish state.

``We consider that when the resistance [Hizbollah] is committed not to fire rockets, then any rocket that is fired from the Lebanese territory would be considered collaboration with Israel to provide a pretext [to Israel] to strike,'' he told a news conference at the Defence Ministry.