Qahwaji: Militants' Victory in Arsal Would Have Had Alarming Repercussions on Lebanon

Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji criticized on Saturday the campaign directed against him and the military and their handling of the clashes with Islamist gunmen in the northeaster border town of Arsal earlier in August, reported An Nahar daily.

He told the daily: “The army's response was decisive and the militants' victory would have had alarming repercussions on Lebanon.”

“The issue is much more dangerous that what is being portrayed in the media as evidenced by Premier David Cameron's recent remark that the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant threatens Britain itself,” he added.

Addressing the Arsal clashes, Qahwaji said that the army came under attack by 190 Syrian and non-Syrian gunmen, while there are 120,000 residents and Syrian refugees living in the town.

“Had some of my critics preferred if I destroyed Arsal and killed Lebanese citizens and Syrian refugees?” he wondered.

“The whole area is in disarray and no one knows what will happen next, so all sides should halt petty criticism,” he stressed.

“It is shameful that politics is being linked to military affairs,” he lamented.

Clashes broke out in Arsal on August 2 between the army and Islamist gunmen in light of the arrest of a member of the al-Qaida-affiliated al-Nusra Front group.

Several soldiers were killed and wounded in the unrest that ended with a ceasefire on August 7.

The gunmen withdrew from the town, but abducted a number of soldiers and security forces.

They remain in captivity and efforts are underway to ensure their release.

Media reports said that Lebanese, Turkish, and Qatari officials are tackling the negotiations.

M.T.

D.A.