Lebanese Army Deploys inside Arsal, Raids Akkar Town

Saturday, 9 August 2014

Lebanese Army Deploys inside Arsal, Raids Akkar Town

Local Editor

Lebanese army in Arsal

Al-Manar correspondent reported Friday that the Lebanese army has been heavily deployed in the eastern border town of Arsal.

Gunmen are no more able to enter the town, he asserted.

The Lebanese army apprehended on Friday a sniper who was covering the withdrawal of Islamist jihadists from the northeastern border town of Arsal.

The state-run National News Agency identified the sniper, who was on the roof of Abou Ismail mosque in the town, with his initials M. H.

He is accused of opening fire at residents, tossing grenades at Arsal police station and injuring two officers.

The suspect is wanted for more that 12 arrest warrants.

Meanwhile, Al-Manar correspondent to North Lebanon reported that the army raided Syrian refugees camp in Kherbat Dawwod region and apprehended a number of wanted young men, along with confiscating their arms.

Earlier at night, the convoys of Syrian refugees that left Arsal on Thursday were banned from entering Syria via Al-Masnaa crossing point for not carrying the necessary legal documents, the state-run National News Agency reported.

Syrians have dispersed inside the Lebanese territories, NNA added.

However, local media outlets reported that they are currently on the international highway between Lebanon and Syria.

At least 47,000 Syrian refugees have taken shelter in Arsal, but militants - who emerged from Syrian refugee camps - were fighting the Lebanese army since Saturday, leaving around 20 soldiers killed, 80 wounded and 35 missing.

More than a million Syrian refugees have flooded into Lebanon since the conflict began in March 2011.