3 Troops Martyred, 4 Wounded in Suicide Attack Targeting Arsal Army Checkpoint

Three troops were martyred and four others were wounded on Saturday evening in the border town of Arsal when a suicide bomber driving a booby-trapped car blew himself up at an army checkpoint in region.

"A suicide bomber driving a booby-trapped car blew himself up at an army checkpoint in the Wadi Ata region in Arsal,” the military institution said in a communique.

"The explosion killed three army martyrs and wounded four others that were positioned at the targeted checkpoint,” the statement added.

The car used in the explosion was a black Kia, according to the statement.

The state-run National News Agency identified the martyrs as soldier A. A., and conscripts M. H. and H. H.

“And among the four wounded troops were T.M. and sergeant A. Sh.,” NNA added.

It was later revealed that soldier A. Y., who was gravely wounded in the explosion, is in a critical condition and he was transferred to a hospital in Baalbek for treatment.

Military helicopter took off from the Riyaq Air Base in Beqaa and headed to Arsal to help rescue teams in reaching the site of the explosion and in transferring the wounded and the martyrs' bodies, according to the same source.

The NNA explained that the blast took place in the plains of Arsal, near the eastern mountain belt on the border with Syria.

MTV detailed on the incident: “A four-wheel drive rushed towards the army checkpoint, and blew up near the soldiers' position.”

“Normally, seven to 12 troops are positioned at the targeted checkpoint,” it added.

Al-Jadeed television assured moments after the blast that the contact was lost with the soldiers serving at the targeted checkpoint in Arsal.

The "Free Sunnis of Baalbek Brigade” claimed later on Saturday the suicide explosion, considering it a retaliation to the killing of fugitive Sami al-Atrash.

“As long as Sunnis are targeted in Lebanon, be sure that we will respond to any attack,” the Brigade said on its account on the social media website Twitter.

The name of Sami al-Atrash was mentioned for the first time in media reports claiming that he collaborated with Sameh Breidi in preparing the first car bomb that exploded in the Beirut southern suburb of Bir al-Abed, a Hizbullah stronghold.

Later in the evening, State Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Saqr Saqr tasked the army police to conduct all the initial investigation in Saturday's blast.

He called for gathering all necessary proofs and information to reveal and identify the attackers, noting that the site of explosion will be inspected later.

Prime Minister Tammam Salam said the explosion was a “hateful criminal act,” but assured that it will not affect the “decisive political decision to fight all forms of terrorism.”

"As the army and security forces were preparing to start implementing a security plan adopted by the cabinet, troops were attacked in a hateful and terrorist crime in the Arsal plains,” Salam said in a released statement.

"This is another episode in the cycle of violence targeting stability in Lebanon, the prestige of the state and its institutions,” he added.

"The army will remain a symbol of sacrifice and it has the complete political support to do its job in protecting the security of the country and its citizens. This will only make us more insistent on fighting terrorism, resisting to any acts that threaten security, and implementing the law in all regions in Lebanon.”

Salam contacted army chief General Jean Qahwaji to be briefed on the latest developments following Saturday's explosion.

Hizbullah also condemned the Arsal explosion, saying it is a crime targeting the country and all Lebanese people.