Army Engages in Overnight Battles with Gunmen on Outskirts of Arsal

Intense clashes erupted between the Lebanese army and gunmen on the outskirts of the northeastern border town of Arsal overnight Monday.

The state-run National News Agency said that rocket fire could be heard in Lebanon's Eastern Mountain Range, in particular, in the Sweid valley.

The gunbattles had reportedly remained for 15 minutes.

Media reports said that Syrian warplanes carried out two air raids on the outskirts of the Bekaa village, targeting gunmen.

There were no immediate reports on the number of casualties.

Several soldiers and policemen were taken captive by Islamist gunmen who overran Arsal on August 2.

Arsal lies 12 kilometers from the border with Syria and its inhabitants are overwhelmingly sympathetic to the Sunni-dominated uprising against Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime and is widely suspected of smuggling weapons and fighters across the border.

H.K.

G.K.