Hariri to Declare National Mourning over Slain Troops after Release of DNA Results

Lebanon is expected to declare a day of national mourning over eight troops executed by the terrorist Islamic State group once DNA testing is finalized.

“Prime Minister Saad Hariri will declare a day of national mourning after the release of the DNA results,” a ministerial source told LBCI television.

The suspected remains of seven troops were found Sunday in the Tallet al-Dibb area in Arsal's outskirts after IS fighters who had surrendered led Lebanese security forces to the remains. The remains of executed soldier Abbas Medlej are yet to be located.

“The official inclination is to declare a day of mourning once the results of DNA tests are released. This day might coincide with the Army Command's declaration of its final victory over terrorism,” al-Joumhouria newspaper reported.

The victory declaration is expected to take place before the Eid al-Adha holiday, which begins on Friday, the daily said.

According to the newspaper, President Michel Aoun has asked the relevant authorities to speed up the DNA testing.

Locating the soldiers' remains was part of a deal that comes a week after the Lebanese military launched a campaign to drive out IS militants from some 120 square kilometers in a rugged mountainous area that straddles the Lebanese-Syrian border. Separately but simultaneously, Lebanon's Hizbullah group, in cooperation with the Syrian army, launched another offensive to pressure the IS militants in Syrian territories along the same border area.

The deal also entails the transfer of remaining IS militants on both sides of the border to eastern Syria's Deir Ezzor province, which is mostly controlled by the extremist group. Other media reports however said that the militants want to go to areas under the regime's control to benefit from reconciliation agreements and avoid any IS retribution over their surrender.