Lebanon's Prime Minister Tammam Salam said on Sunday that terrorist groups aim to cause sedition in their killing of Lebanese soldiers.
Salam was speaking in a public address after having just attended a Cabinet meeting aimed at discussing the execution of two Lebanese soldiers by Islamic State jihadists and the capturing of several more.
The executions were revealed in photos distributed by users on social networking website twitter.
These are part and parcel of a long struggle between the country and terrorism that has "helped the Lebanese people avoid many dangers," he said commenting on the reports.
"The unity of the Lebanese people in facing terrorism has prevented these terrorists from achieving their ultimate goal - causing sedition amongst the people's factions," he added.
The situation has caused public anger at the government's handling of the affair with people protesting by blocking public roads over the past two days.
"This could have led to dangerous repercussions," he said in reference to the protests, calling on the soldiers' families to have more faith in the government and its army "which will do all in its power to free the captured soldiers." The Lebanese government is "not in a position of weakness and has several points of strength at its disposal" in order to face the jihadists, who he said "only understand the language of slaughter.
"We will resume our contacts and efforts in every direction in order to reach this aim," he added.