Report: LF Says Upcoming Battle in Ras Baalbek Different from Arsal's

In light of battle reinforcements taken by the military forces to oust the Islamic State group's militants from Lebanon's eastern border area, the Lebanese Forces said the expected battle in Ras Baalbek and al-Qaa is different from the one waged in the outskirts of Arsal, al-Jouhmouria daily reported on Saturday.

“The battle in the outskirts of Ras Baalbek differs in form and content from the battle in the outskirts of Arsal,” LF sources told the daily.

“In form, Ras Baalbek's outskirts are Lebanese while the outskirts of Arsal are triangular, one part is Lebanese, another is Lebanese-Syrian and the third is Syrian. Thus, the Lebanese state can not enter into a confrontation on Syrian soil and fight alongside the Syrian army which has been isolated at Syrian, Arab and international levels,” added the source.

Media reports said Saturday that the Lebanese Army is gearing for a battle against the Islamic State group militants on the eastern borders in the al-Qaa and Ras Baalbek's outskirts.

The source who spoke on condition of anonymity assured that the army “was the first to start the battle through its airstrikes and artillery,” pointing out that the reasons were not enough to let the army engage in the battle in Arsal.

“In content,” added the source, “the Lebanese army represents all the Lebanese people as it fights to protect the land and Lebanon's interest. While Hizbullah's fight is a class struggle-- even if Lebanon is benefiting this time in exceptional ways. Hizbullah's main goal is to achieve the interest of the axis it belongs to, not Lebanon's interest.”

Last week Hizbullah launched an assault in Arsal's outskirts that managed to oust al-Nusra Front's jihadists from the area.

Militants from the al-Qaida-linked, Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, and the Islamic State group are entrenched in rugged mountains along the Lebanese-Syrian border.

The Lebanese army regularly shells their positions while Hizbullah and the Syrian army have engaged in clashes with them on the Syrian side of the border.

The two groups overran the northeastern border town of Arsal in 2014 and engaged in deadly battles with the Lebanese army for several days.

The retreating militants abducted around 35 troops and policemen of whom four have been executed and nine remain in captivity.