Qaouq Urges 'Eradication of Terror Hubs' in Arsal, Ras Baalbek Outskirts

Hizbullah central council official Sheikh Nabil Qaouq on Sunday called for “the eradication of terror hubs” in the outskirts of the Bekaa towns of Arsal and Ras Baalbek, in the wake of a major Lebanese army operation in the area.

“Our eyes are awake and our hand is on the trigger to protect the land and the country in the face of the Israeli enemy and all the takfiri threats coming from al-Nusra (Front) and Daesh (Islamic State group),” Qaouq said.

“Although the takfiri scheme has been defeated, its threat has not ended and it's still present amid the takfiris' continued occupation of the outskirts of Arsal and Ras Baalbek and the flow and infiltration of IS militants from Raqa and Mosul into Lebanon,” the Hizbullah official added.

“Had it not been for Hizbullah's presence in the Syrian desert, Daesh would have headed to Lebanon,” Qaouq noted, referring to the ongoing collapse of IS' bastions in Iraq's Mosul and Syria's Raqa.

And noting that “the resistance's sacrifices inside Syria have protected Lebanon,” the Hizbullah official said “it's about time for the eradication of the terrorist, takfiri hubs and posts of Daesh and al-Nusra, who have turned the outskirts of Arsal and Ras Baalbek into a launchpad for targeting all Lebanese and their army and resistance.”

Seven Lebanese soldiers were wounded and a Syrian child was killed at dawn Friday when five militants blew themselves up and a sixth threw a grenade during security raids in two refugee encampments in Arsal's outskirts near the Syrian border, the army said.

The raids were aimed at "arresting terrorists and seizing weapons," the Army Command said, while dozens of terror suspects were arrested.

There have been multiple clashes along the border between the Lebanese army and jihadists of the Islamic State and al-Nusra Front groups. Since 2014, both the Lebanese army and Hizbullah have carried out attacks on Syria-based jihadists in the eastern border region.

Hizbullah has intervened in the war in Syria in support of President Bashar al-Assad, sending tens of thousands of fighters. Its strongholds in Lebanon have been hit by several deadly attacks claimed by jihadist groups.