Gunmen in New Attempt to Stir Unrest in Arsal
Acts of sabotage and armed violence have been on the rise in recent weeks in the Bekaa border town of Arsal, where gunmen are trying to "take back the town to the atmosphere of August 2."
"Since three days, masked gunmen have been shooting at surveillance cameras in the main and side streets and public squares of Arsal,” state-run National News Agency reported on Friday.
The armed men are “moving on motorcycles and using pump-action rifles,” said NNA.
“There are also intentions to carry out systematic operations involving kidnap and murder,” NNA added.
It noted that there have been “several attempts to turn the clock back in Arsal and revive the atmosphere that prevailed on August 2,” when extremists from the Qaida-linked al-Nusra Front and the Qaida breakaway group Islamic State crossed the border and engaged in bloody clashes with the Lebanese army.
A ceasefire was reached a few days later, but the retreating militants took with them around 35 captive Lebanese troops and policemen. Seven were released while three have since been executed at the hands of the jihadists.
In a recent incident, gunmen opened fire Thursday at Arsal's al-Jamarek square at army First Adjutant Ahmed Audeh, as he was heading from his home to his military unit in the Bekaa, NNA said.
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