Army Deploys Heavily in Arsal amid Popular Jubilation

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

The army deployed heavily on Thursday in the restive northeastern border town of Arsal and stepped its security measures, a move that was welcomed by the anxious residents.

Units from the army's Eighth Brigade “entered Arsal from Wadi Hmayyed and al-Masyadeh,” state-run National News Agency reported.

Troops “erected checkpoints inside the town and at the entrances of (Syrian refugee) encampments and staged mechanized patrols,” NNA said.

Jubilant residents “warmly welcomed” the soldiers and “threw rice on them,” the agency added.

The army's measures followed a cabinet session that tackled the issue of Arsal.

Media reports said earlier that the army bolstered its measures in Arsal to avert any possible attack by militants in the wake of battles in Syria's Qalamoun.

A military source stressed in remarks to al-Joumhouria newspaper that the “precautions level up to the challenges.”

He denied that Hizbullah or any other faction passed through the areas that are under the army's control to reach the outskirts of Arsal.

“The battles are in Syria and not in zones under military control.”

Asked if Hizbullah could enforce security in Arsal if battles reached it, the source said that “the army is the only authority responsible for the security of the town and will not allow any side to assist it in the matter.”

“Only the army is safeguarding the sovereignty of its territories and implementing the cabinet's policy.”

Hizbullah backed by Syrian forces has recently controlled strategic areas in Qalamoun that abuts Lebanon's eastern border, amid continuing clashes in the region.

Hizbullah cites fear of militants from the Islamic State group and al-Qaida-affiliated al-Nusra Front sweeping through Shiite and Christian border villages as one of the main reasons for its involvement in Syria.

Some observers however fear the Qalamoun offensive could prompt Islamist militants to launch attacks in Shiite areas of Lebanon itself, including Beirut's southern suburbs.

The IS and Nusra Front have infiltrated Lebanon in the past, and last August briefly overran Arsal, taking with them several soldiers and policemen hostage, four of whom have been executed.

A source close to the March 8 alliance stressed that Hizbullah “will not begin the Arsal battle but will not also remain mum over the state's failure to control border towns and their outskirts.”

Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Sunday hinted that his group would try and eliminate the militants of the IS and al-Nusra from Arsal's outskirts if the Lebanese state failed to do so.

Citing remarks by Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq who said that Arsal is “occupied” by militant groups, Nasrallah called on the Lebanese state to protect the town and “regain” it from their hands.

“The vast majority in Arsal are feeling the heavy burden of the militant groups and we are ready to stand by Arsal's people, but the state must shoulder its responsibility,” Nasrallah added.

He vowed, however, that “our people in Baalbek and Hermel” will not tolerate “the presence of a single terrorist in the outskirts of Arsal and the Bekaa.”

Y.R./H.K.

Comments 11
Missing humble 28 May 2015, 10:12

Ebola wants to drag tha army to protect them. We want the army to protect the country, NOT Ebola.

Thumb geha 28 May 2015, 20:41

it is clear enough who is with the LAF and who wants to drag it into bad calculations to support a murderer.

Thumb _mowaten_ 29 May 2015, 14:13

indeed, it is clear that m14ers have chosen the camp of takfiri terrorism, and while they proclaim themselves as supporters of the LAF, they are only interested in using the LAF for their own ambitions of serving saudi wahhabia and israel by fighting the resistance.

Thumb _mowaten_ 29 May 2015, 14:17

those who really support the army will appreciate the facts that thanks to the support of the resistance, and its securing of the other parts of qalamoun, the LAF has enough resources to deploy heavily in arsal and secure it

fake suppporters of the LAF however, would prefer the LAF to be on its own, spread thin all over the border and overwhelmed by the da3eshits.

Thumb _mowaten_ 29 May 2015, 14:14

nobody said that, but judging by your screen name, it's quite clear what motivates you, and it's neither justice nor truth,

Missing peace 28 May 2015, 13:19

another blow in hezbi propaganda.....

Missing helicopter 28 May 2015, 18:17

Any Lebanese land, city, village is and should be open territory and welcoming to our LAF. Arms should be only in the hands of our LAF. Lebanon must prevail over all thugs of all sects.

Missing hajjradwan 28 May 2015, 18:53

humm, why aren't they chanting

ما بدنا جيش بلبنان الا جيشك يا حُسين

no wait that was the so called jihadis who perform their jihadi duty whenever and wherever the ayatollah sends them jihading

Missing hajjradwan 28 May 2015, 19:37

I'm glad you approve m14_sermeye. BTW you being a M8 jihadi performing his Jihadi and a staunch Hezballah supporter here, or as you correctly stated a March 14 sermeye, where did the Hezb teach you this chant? Did you learn it in Persian first? I'm just curious.

Default-user-icon + oua nabka + (Guest) 28 May 2015, 20:19

god bless our army , its time to kill anyone who was and is still against our LAF
btw where are the arms in 10 years ?
god bless democracy

Thumb -phoenix1 29 May 2015, 12:37

At long last, wal hamdullilah, the army has gone into Arsal.