Army Raids Syrian Refugee Houses throughout Lebanon, Several Arrested

Army troops on Wednesday raided the houses of Syrian refugees in several regions around the country, and managed to detain a number of people during the operation.

"Several people were arrested during raids of houses and rented warehouses in the town of Benin in Akkar (in northern Lebanon),” the state-run National News Agency reported.

And in the southern towns of Shebaa and Hasbaya, army forces raided and inspected several houses used by Syrian refugees, NNA said.

A refugee with no legal documents was apprehended during the southern raids, and the same source noted that he was subjected to interrogation.

Meanwhile in Beirut, army troops carried out raids in the Jnah neighborhood, said al-Jadeed television.

"Four Syrians were arrested in these raids,” al-Jadeed remarked.

And OTV reported that three members of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant were held near the airborne regiment's station in the Kesserouan town of Ghousta.

The Internal Security Forces' Intelligence Bureau had detained on Tuesday three people carrying ISIL documents during raids in the Tannourine plains.

The arrested men were identified as M.S., J.S., and S.S.

These raids and arrests come as army troops have been battling foreign armed jihadists in the northeastern border town of Arsal since Saturday.

The clashes, which erupted following the apprehension of a member of the al-Qaida-linked Al-Nusra Front, have led to the martyrdom of 17 troops while over 85 others have been wounded.

More than 20 army and ISF troops are still held captive by the militants and negotiations are ongoing between the gunmen and a Muslim Scholars Committee delegation to release them.

Army chief General Jean Qahwaji remarked on Sunday that the extremist fighters are foreigners of different nationalities who came from neighboring countries via the border in coordination with people residing in refugee camps.

S.D.B.