1 Killed as Army Arrests Suspected Terrorists in Arsal, Tripoli Raids

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
  • W460
  • W460

The Lebanese army arrested on Thursday suspected terrorists during raids it carried out on Syrian refugee encampments and residences in the northeastern border town of Arsal and the northern city of Tripoli.

One assailant was killed and several others were injured when the army opened fire on them in Arsal for setting fire to tents in refugee encampments, said the army.

The military arrested scores of Syrians and Lebanese, including four gunmen belonging to al-Nusra Front, during the raids in Arsal, said the state-run National News Agency.

They are suspected of involvement in recent attacks on the army, it said.

Later on Thursday, the Army Command issued a statement saying 22 people were arrested in Arsal's vicinity “on suspicion of belonging to terrorist groups that took part in the fighting against the army.”

“36 others were held for entering Lebanon illegally and not possessing any identification documents,” the statement added.

“The detainees are being interrogated under the supervision of the relevant judicial authorities,” it said.

The raids sparked a demonstration by Syrian refugees, who raised the Islamic State group flag near the Arsal municipal building.

The Muslim Scholars Committee also called for two emergency meetings to be held simultaneously at 3:00 pm in Beirut and the Bekaa to address the army's measures.

Arsal has been the battlefront of the Lebanese army in its fight with jihadists since they crossed the border from Syria and overran the town in early August. The militants from al-Nusra Front and the IS kidnapped troops during their withdrawal.

Several soldiers and policemen remain in captivity while three have been executed.

Last Friday, attackers detonated a roadside bomb against a passing army truck in Arsal killing two soldiers and wounding three.

In a related development, Military Prosecutor Judge Saqr Saqr charged three detainees with belonging to an armed terrorist organization, kidnapping soldiers and participating in the fighting against them in Arsal.

The charges also include the possession of arms and explosives.

Saqr referred the suspects to the first Military Examining Magistrate Riyad Abou Ghida.

Also Thursday, the army carried out raids on the residences of Syrian refugees in Tripoli's Abi Samra district.

It said in a communique that it arrested 20 suspects and seized arms, ammunition and military gear from their possession.

The military said late Wednesday that militants opened fire at army posts in Bab al-Tabbaneh, Syria Street and al-Bisar in Tripoli.

One soldier was lightly injured in his leg, it said.

The soldiers at the three posts fired back at the militants and chased the gunmen to arrest them, the communique added.

On Tuesday, a soldier was killed in a similar attack in Tripoli.

Meanwhile, families of troops abducted by jihadists pressed on with their road-blocking protest in the vital Dahr al-Baidar area that links the Bekaa governorate to the Mount Lebanon region and the capital Beirut.

They had earlier in the day pledged that they would reopen it at 6:00 pm following a mediation by Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat.

“We won't reopen the road because our sons are in danger and we apologize to Walid Beik Jumblat,” a spokesman for the families said.

“We call on the government, if it still exists ... to take a brave decision,” he urged.

“We call on the Lebanese people to stand by us and we're heading towards further escalation,” the man added.

G.K./Y.R.

M.T.

Comments 18
Default-user-icon jcamerican (Guest) 25 September 2014, 09:55

Your comment is baseless and not necessary true.

Default-user-icon + oua nabka + (Guest) 25 September 2014, 10:06

just burn the ret if all refugee camps and send them to the gulf countries where they can cater for their needs
btw there are training camps in ksa so take the refugees also there

Missing ysurais 25 September 2014, 10:17

" The Lebanese army arrested on Thursday suspected terrorists during raids it carried out on Syrian refugee encampment"
----- Isn't time to close the LEB Borders to block these filthy terrorists out???
----- Isn't time to apply and execute the death penalty on those terrorists?

Missing greatpierro 25 September 2014, 11:01

Hizbollah will not allow any thing that reinforce the state authority. It has refused in the national dialogue to take away the weapons if the Palestinians outside the camp ( of course these are fplp commandment general a puppet at the hand if the Syrian regime.

Thumb Mystic 25 September 2014, 11:06

Good morning, shouldn't you hypocrites be praising the army in it's battle against terrorism, instead of this garbage conversation? Without the LAF and Resistance too, (which is the other side of the sword) then Beirut would be overrun with takfiris.

Praise the army gentlemen, even if you hate Hezbollah. Atleast get some sense of honor.

Default-user-icon bill.the.butcher (Guest) 25 September 2014, 11:09

I couldn't have said it better Mystic. After all, we are one and the same

Missing imagine_1979 25 September 2014, 11:37

Amen..

Missing imagine_1979 25 September 2014, 11:54

No hezbe kill more elegantly, they do it in a civilzed maner, even after killing lebanese army officers on an hellicopter while on duty, they recognise facts (after trying to put it on israel like all political assassinations) get a fair trial and out in 6 months... La classe ya3neh... Bravo flame..
For the retarded part, jihadist duty, khomaini as supreme leader, zoulfikar/husein/ali... No reall difference with omar/jihadist isis... All bumch of retards, 21century man...
I really don't understand, we have a great coutry, watter, oil... And still some find justification gor armed fanatic millicias...
Chupachups man, chupachups....

Missing imagine_1979 25 September 2014, 18:19

What a brave stand FROM AUSTRALIA magnificant roar....
Chupachups, roar, chupachups...

Thumb Mystic 25 September 2014, 22:46

Slash, you are a Looney. How does it feel to burn out all your aggressions on Naharnet?

Default-user-icon + oua nabka + (Guest) 25 September 2014, 11:24

god bless our LAF
and god burn in hell the ones that are against laf and the ones who refused in 30 years to arm our soldiers

Default-user-icon Real Talk (Guest) 25 September 2014, 11:56

What an utter disgrace for a so-called army. Nothing more than slaves to that Irani militia and its filthy Welayat Al Faqih. You think the Lebanese "army" has honor by burning tents and attacking refugees? What an embarrassment.

Missing imagine_1979 25 September 2014, 12:39

To be honest, due to the concecutive denial of our succedding governement to recognize refugies presence in lebanon (they are still officially displaced), due to the opposition of our governement to do proper camps like in jordan and turky (as if nothing was going in syria and that those were regular syrian workers coming over, ma fi chi bi sourya)
We ended up having syrian refugies everywhere, so now to locate the good guys from the bad guys wont be an easy task for our army..
War is an uggly thing...
Adding to this our local shiite millicia is not making things better....

Missing ysurais 25 September 2014, 15:17

PLS HEAR THIS WELL GENTS: The refugees after the ordeal were chanting slogan pro nusra/daash inside Arsal as we saw on TV. This is not acceptable at all. those refugees then should be labeled terrorists!!!!
LEB GOV must deport all these Syrians refugees. and for those who are voting me down u should be labeled anti Lebanon and Lebanese..

Thumb megahabib 25 September 2014, 18:31

Let the army destroy those zombies.

Default-user-icon CFTC (Guest) 25 September 2014, 22:55

slash...i know now you are brainless. So please shut up ...would be better for you (-:

Missing coolmec 26 September 2014, 01:04

I think we should bomb arsal until total destruction. it has been nothing but trouble for Lebanon

Default-user-icon CFTC (Guest) 26 September 2014, 12:33

slash...it is a real honour to be insulted by you (-: