Hariri Says Hizbullah 'Achieved Something' in Arsal, Army to Deal with IS
Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced Wednesday that Hizbullah has “achieved something” in its win over al-Nusra Front in Arsal's outskirts, shortly after buses carrying militants, their families and other refugees began evacuating the area as part of a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement with Hizbullah.
“What we care for is a return to normal life in Arsal and the state has performed its duties,” said Hariri after Grand Serail talks with General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim, who played a key role in the negotiations.
“Hizbullah carried out the operation and it achieved something and what's important is the result,” Hariri added.
Turning to the presence of the jihadist Islamic State group in the border region, Hariri noted that the Lebanese army “will deal with this situation in the appropriate manner.”
The premier also revealed that a plan has been devised to offer social aid to Arsal's residents and that it would be discussed in Thursday's cabinet session.
Asked about the inmates who were released from Lebanese prisons at Nusra's request, Hariri stressed that they were non-convicts.
The Hizbullah-Nusra agreement had first started with the exchange of bodies of slain fighters between the two groups. Prisoners were exchanged between the two sides overnight and five more Hizbullah captives are supposed to be freed when the buses of the evacuees reach their destinations in Syria.
The deal followed a military offensive by Hizbullah fighters and Syrian troops during which they captured border areas between the two countries and left hundreds of Nusra fighters besieged in a small rugged mountainous area.
The fighting ended with a ceasefire on Thursday.
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