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Syrian Gunmen, 'Hizbullah Fighters' Clash in Brital Plains, ISF Denies Corporal Arrested

Hizbullah members on Saturday clashed with Syrian gunmen who tried to infiltrate the Bekaa town of Brital, LBCI television reported.

"A clash erupted between Hizbullah members and armed Syrians in Brital when the gunmen tried to infiltrate Brital,” LBCI said.

It noted that several Syrians have been killed in the fighting.

The state-run National News Agency, meanwhile, said that clashes were ongoing in Brital's Ijr al-Harf region near the Eastern Mountain Belt between the residents of the town and Syrian armed men who tried to infiltrate the area.

Later in the day, the "Free Sunnis of Baalbek Brigade” announced that its “free fighters are making Hizbullah suffer losses” in Brital.

"The day in which we will raise the banner of Islam in Brital is nearing, and our battle against Hizbullah is open-ended until we clear the Islamic Emirate of the Bekaa of the party,” it added.

Also on Saturday, LBCI reported that the army arrested a corporal in the Internal Security Forces in the Maarboun plains in the Bekaa.

It explained that he was transferring three al-Nusra Front gunmen in a car without possessing any legal identification documents.

But the ISF later issued a statement denying such arrest.

"These reports are entirely false and we call on media outlets to contact the Intelligence Bureau for accurate information,” the statement said.

"We also call on citizens to check the ISF's website and social media pages to follow up on the institution's news and released statements,” it added.

The Bekaa region has repeatedly witnessed armed clashes between Hizbullah and Syrian fighters since the eruption of the neighboring country's war.

In July 2013, media outlets reported that fierce clashes erupted between Hizbullah fighters and the Free Syrian Army rebels in several Bekaa towns.

However, the party did not deny or confirm these reports.

S.D.B.


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