Report: Nusra Decides to Terminate IS Presence in Arsal
The Fateh al-Sham Front -- formerly al-Qaida's Syria affiliate al-Nusra Front – has taken the decision to eradicate the presence of the Islamic State group in the northeastern border town of Arsal and in the Qalamoun area, al-Akhbar daily reported on Monday.
The daily pointed out to the assassination of extremist IS official Abu Bakr al-Reqqawi a day earlier in Arsal, and said that his killing was part of the plan that has been put into implementation.
Al-Raqqawi was found killed on Sunday in the restive border town of Arsal.
He was behind the assassination of Internal Security Forces first warrant officer Zaher Ezzeddine in January, the National News Agency had reported.
According to information, Sheikh Mustafa al-Hujeiri, aka Abu Taqiyeh, is playing a major role in the campaign seeking to terminate the IS terrorist group, added al-Akhbar.
Militants from IS and Fateh al-Sham Front are entrenched in rugged areas along the undemarcated Lebanese-Syrian border and the army regularly shells their posts while Hizbullah and the Syrian army have engaged in clashes with them on the Syrian side of the border.
The two groups briefly overran the town of Arsal in August 2014 before being ousted by the army after days of deadly battles.
The retreating militants abducted more than 30 troops and policemen of whom four have been executed and nine remain in the captivity of the IS group.
Source: Naharnet
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