Army Detains Five Suspected Syrian Terrorists in Arsal

The army detained on Friday five Syrians in raids carried out on the outskirts of the border town of Arsal on charges of participating in training with terrorist groups.

The detained men were apprehended inside Syrian refugee camps in the area, the army said in a communique.

According to the statement, Zaher Abdul Aziz al-Ahmed for belonging to al-Azzam brigades while Nour Muheiddine Shameseddine, Haitham Nader Ghannoum, Adel Suleiman Ghannoum and Mohammed Nazih Ghannoum were arrested for the possession of cameras, computers and CDs that show their participation in training with terrorist groups.

The five suspects were handed over to the competent judiciary.

An army commando force began at dawn combing the outskirts of the northeastern border town of Arsal to apprehend wanted gunmen.

NNA said that the army kicked off an operation to detain armed men, who are accused of assaulting Syrian refugee camps in Wadi Hmeid area and abducting several Syrian nationals and a Lebanese.

On Tuesday, gunmen from the al-Qaida-linked al-Nusra Front kidnapped several Lebanese, Syrian and one Turkmen workers in the outskirts of the Ras Baalbek region in the Bekaa.

Makhoul Mrad, Alaa Ezzeddine and Mohammed al-Hujairi were among the kidnapped men.

Six of the seven abducted workers were released in the evening, leaving Makhoul in detention.

On Thursday, killed a Syrian and kidnapped two others during an attack on refugees in the Wadi Hmeid area.

The displaced Syrians, who had taken refuge in the encampment, hail from the Syrian town of Qara in the Qalamoun region.

Last week, a Syrian was killed in Arsal by al-Nusra Front fighters in similar circumstances.

Ever since the Syrian revolt erupted in March 2011, Arsal has served as a key conduit for refugees, rebels and wounded people fleeing strife-torn Syria.

H.K.

G.K.