Aoun Chairs Security Meeting, Says Border 'Developments' to Have 'Positive' Impact

President Michel Aoun on Monday presided over a security meeting at the Baabda Palace and listened to a briefing from the army chief about the situation on the Lebanese-Syrian border amid the ongoing clashes in Arsal's outskirts between Hizbullah and al-Nusra Front.

The meeting was attended by Army Commander General Joseph Aoun, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations Brig. Gen. Nawwaf Jibawi, Military Intelligence Director Brig. Gen Tony Mansour and Director of Operations Brig. Gen. Jean Chidiac.

The army chief briefed the president on “the measures that the army has taken to secure the border, prevent the infiltration of terrorists and help civilians and refugees should they need to move from one region to another,” the National News Agency said.

During the meeting, Aoun lauded “the army's readiness and its preparedness to repel any attack on Lebanese territory and to protect residents and refugees.”

“The outcome of the latest developments on the ground will be positive in terms of putting an end to the attacks of the terrorists and their practices against civilians and soldiers,” Aoun added.

The developments “will restore security and stability on the border,” the president said, possibly referring to Hizbullah's operation against jihadists.

The army is not part of the offensive in Arsal's outskirts but has since Friday opened artillery fire several times at Nusra militants trying to advance towards its posts or towards the town of Arsal and the nearby refugee encampments.

Hizbullah has announced that its operation is aimed at ousting the jihadists of al-Nusra Front and the Islamic State group from the border region.