Rising Fears of More Retaliation in Lebanon after Fall of Yabrud
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Fears rose in Lebanon on Monday that gunmen, who have fled into Lebanon after Syrian government troops and Hizbullah fighters captured Yabrud, a strategic town near the frontier, would increase retaliatory attacks against the supporters of the Shiite party.
The first alleged retaliation came on Sunday when a suicide bomber driving a Grand Cherokee left several casualties in the town of Nabi Othman, about 30 kilometers north of Baalbek.
A group calling itself the Baalbek Ahrar al-Sunna Brigade claimed responsibility on Twitter for the bombing.
"Prepare for the transfer of the battle of Yabrud into Lebanese territory," it said.
Al-Nusra Front in Lebanon also claimed responsibility for the attack on Twitter, describing it as "a quick response to the Iranian party's (Hizbullah's) bluster following its extortion of the town of Yabrud."
Yabrud was a major smuggling hub for the rebels trying to overthrow President Bashar Assad. The town's fall is the latest in a string of strategic gains by Assad's forces that have consolidated authority in the past months in Syria's major cities, including the capital, Damascus.
Hizbullah fighters have been instrumental to Assad's success on the battlefield, and support from the Iranian-backed fighters appears to have tipped the balance into the government's favor in Yabrud.
However, the fact that opposition fighters fled into Lebanon through the northeastern town of Arsal suggests the conflict could bleed further into Syria's neighbor.
The civil war already has ignited polarizing sectarian tensions between Sunnis and Shiites.
As Safir daily quoted informed security sources as saying that “more than one suspicious vehicle could have entered Lebanon” to carry out a bombing.
The sources warned that the armed groups, which fled Yabrud to Arsal, “could resort to more retaliation.”
But the Lebanese army has taken strong measures to prevent the infiltration of the gunmen from Arsal to other Lebanese areas, military sources said.
The sources told As Safir that the army units deployed in the Bekaa Valley would take all necessary measures to prevent chaos.
17 March 2014, 08:19
77
Karim - Please leave the Lebanese army out of your sectarian war.
17 March 2014, 08:30
117
lol, exactly! They include and praise the army when they want. Yet, they are the first to attack the army when it does not do or they think is not doing what they want.
17 March 2014, 08:22
95
Let's use logic for a second. This feud has been going on for ages, centuries. Secondly? While this unnecessary death is happening, the rest of the world is advancing to further improve the quality of life for everyone. HA uses this ridiculous Zionist/Takfiri conspiracy which makes no sense, Salafi's are blind gun wielders, and nobody stops to ask themselves which side God's really on? The rest of this world is advancing, while this Karbala sourced fueled crap is solving nothing, just more death. Iran and KSA, go off and kill eachother, stop using Lebanon as your little playground. I watched and saw the same nonsense with NOTHING solved, you want to regress? go for it, I'm gonna see how there's plenty of good out there instead of this religion-fueled childishness. I can come on here 10 years from now, and IF you haven't nuked the crap out of eachother, the same policial and religious garbage will keep flowing. Quit being manipulated, grow a pair, and for ONCE think for yourselves.
17 March 2014, 08:31
95
HA/Iran will deny like usual and send their spokesmen out here too. Although they provide a good laugh, nothing changes in the end. Taqiya is what they live and breathe, and as for Qaeda? Ignorant gun toting fools. What logic is there where they kill eachother to please God? I'm sure even the almighty's pretty annoyed by both. I want both of you from each side to actually see a dead child and keep your "glorious composure" and I'm not talking on the net, I mean real life. Lebanon is their little playground, and the country de-evolves thanks to both of them. The rest of society advances, they remain regressed primitive children.
17 March 2014, 09:17
97
I think everyone should gang up and chase opur resistance back to Iran where it belongs.
17 March 2014, 12:13
73
Hezbollah will get what it deserves for the lies that they spread.
Liar in Chief, Hassan Nasrallah has lied once again to the lebanese people claiming they are defending Lebanon from "takfiris". Why would he be "liberating" syrian cities and why would he and his ghanam be celebrating a victory for Bashar's Regime ?
Hassan Nasrallah has lied to you all, shown his true face, yet you M8 goldfish fail to see past the illusion when truth is staring you in the face !
17 March 2014, 12:19
83
If you want to clean Lebanon, you should start with Dahyé. The Agitator in chief lives there...
17 March 2014, 12:29
93
Simple roar : go have a walk in Dahyé ... find me a soldier ! And walk with a lebanese flag with you ! I'll see you on the other side !
17 March 2014, 15:17
91
dont have others fake pictures from iraq to post ya brofessor ?
17 March 2014, 17:42
62
Roar : he who supports Hezbollah and their pet dogs Tayyarjieh (because they smoke Hezbollah's crap) have no lessons to teach about false evidence and propaganda.
Go show me evidence that Hezbollah is fighting to "defend" Lebanon and maybe then we can talk. If they are truly defending Lebanon, they wouldn't be celebrating a "victory" in Yabrud because the terrorists are still out there.
Also, about fake propaganda, Aoun said the other day there were no Lebanese prisoners in Syria. What does he care to say about Bashars regime murdering them ?
Go play with your brainless peers instead of polluting this site !
17 March 2014, 18:35
00
This article makes it sound as if in Lebanon we were still living in a state of bliss. What more retaliation or retribution if one may ask? We are already deep in it, one more drop these days makes no difference, Lebanon has long since been dragged into Syria's war.
