2 Gunmen Dead, 2 Soldiers Hurt as Army Intercepts Explosive-Laden Car in Bekaa
Two Syrians were killed and two Lebanese army soldiers were wounded in a clash Thursday after the army intercepted a car carrying explosives and gunmen in the Western Bekaa area of Hawsh al-Harimeh.
“After the Intelligence Directorate obtained intel that four people were transporting explosives, a patrol from the directorate chased the aforementioned car in Hawsh al-Harimeh and an exchange of gunfire ensued,” said an army statement.
“Two soldiers were wounded and two unidentified gunmen, one wearing a suicide vest, were killed, while two other people were arrested – a Lebanese and a Syrian who was wounded in his legs,” it added.
The army said several types of explosives estimated to weigh around 250 kilograms were found in the car, in addition to a quantity of fuses.
Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3) said the gunmen were members of the extremist al-Nusra Front, identifying one of the wounded army soldiers as Hussein Araji.
On Wednesday, the Lebanese army said troops seized in the Wadi Hmayyed area an arms-laden car coming from Syria and arrested its four Syrian passengers.
Four Syrian nationals were arrested and a quantity of machineguns, pistols, ammunition, military equipment and hand grenades was found in their possession, a statement said.
On September 29, the army announced seizing a Syria-bound truck loaded with “obsolete” ammunition in the border town of Arsal. According to LBCI television, the truck came from the northern border region of Wadi Khaled.
On September 25, the army said a Syrian man was killed and two others were wounded after troops fired on a van that failed to stop at a checkpoint in Arsal.
And three gunmen were arrested by the army on August 8 as they tried to infiltrate the Bekaa border town of Arsal from Syria. Weapons and a suicide vest were found in their possession according to an army statement.
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