Lebanon president says country no longer 'arena for anyone's wars'

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Friday said his country was no longer an "arena" for anyone's wars after a ceasefire in Lebanon went into force.

"We are confident that we will save Lebanon... we have reclaimed Lebanon and Lebanon's decision-making power for the first time in nearly half a century," Aoun said in his first speech to the nation since the truce, adding that "today, we negotiate for ourselves... we are no longer a pawn in anyone's game, nor an arena for anyone's wars, and we never will be again".

"I hereby affirm... that there will be no agreement that infringes upon our national rights, diminishes the dignity of our steadfast people, or relinquishes an iota of this nation's soil."