NNA - Lebanese Kataeb Party leader Samy Gemayel marked the 20th anniversary of March 14, 2005, with a message reaffirming Lebanon's resilience and continued fight for sovereignty.

"Twenty years since March 14, 2005. This year, the anniversary carries a different meaning, as the state returns to the nation, institutions to the state, and the Lebanese remain determined to reclaim their country — sovereign, free, and independent," Gemayel wrote on X. 

"Let this anniversary be a renewed promise to all those who fought against the Syrian occupation and to all the martyrs of the Cedar Revolution that Lebanon endures and will resist any occupation," he affirmed. 

March 14, 2005, marked a pivotal moment in Lebanon's modern history. Following the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in a massive car bombing on February 14, 2005, widespread protests erupted across the country. The demonstrations, known as the Cedar Revolution, saw hundreds of thousands of Lebanese citizens taking to the streets to demand an end to Syrian occupation and the withdrawal of Syrian troops, which had been stationed in Lebanon since the early years of the country's 1975-1990 civil war.

Under mounting domestic and international pressure, Syria announced the withdrawal of its forces from Lebanon on April 26, 2005, ending nearly three decades of military presence.

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