Rockets Hit Bekaa Towns, 'Free Sunnis' and ISIL Claim Attack

A number of rockets fired from Syria landed in the Bekaa on Friday, reported the National News Agency, amid separate claims of responsibility by two extremist groups.

NNA said that two rockets landed between the towns of al-Labweh and al-Nabi Othman.

One of the rockets exploded, while the other did not.

The Free Sunnis of Baalbek Brigade claimed responsibility for the shelling, saying it was a “response to what the 'non-Lebanese army' is doing against our people in the northern city of Tripoli under Hizbullah's directions.”

But around four hours later, the Damascus branch of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant extremist group made a separate claim of responsibility.

"Two Grad rockets were fired at the 'shabiha' of Hizbullah in the al-Labweh area in support of the oppressed of the Sunni community in Lebanon," the so-called "Damascus Prefecture" of the ISIL said on its Twitter account.

Earlier on Friday, the Brigade slammed the recently-implemented Tripoli security plan, saying that it "violates the sanctity of Muslims homes."

Bekaa towns, with a majority of Shiite population, have repeatedly come under rocket attacks by either rebels seeking to topple Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime or armed men supporting them.

The Syrian troops loyal to Assad also continue to carry out air raids on Arsal, a majority Sunni town, which is an escape route for rebels and smugglers.

M.T./Y.R.

D.A./S.D.B.