Army Foils 'Infiltration' Attempt from Arsal Outskirts into Town

The Lebanese army on Saturday opened fire at armed men in the outskirts of the Bekaa town of Arsal which borders Syria, according to media reports.

“The army opened fire from its posts in Wadi Hmeid and al-Masyadeh after detecting movements by gunmen in Arsal's outskirts,” LBCI TV reported.

Meanwhile, Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3) said the army “targeted movements by armed men in Wadi Hmeid and al-Masyadeh, repelling an infiltration attempt into the town of Arsal.”

For its part, state-run National News Agency reported a “clash” between the army and gunmen in Arsal's outskirts.

Jihadists from al-Qaida-linked al-Nusra Front and the Islamic State group overran Arsal in August, killing and capturing scores of soldiers and police. They later executed three of the hostages.

The clashes were sparked by the arrest of top Islamist militant Imad Jomaa in Arsal.

The Nusra and IS jihadists are reportedly seeking to find a safe passage from the mountains on the Lebanese-Syrian border to the heart of the town of Arsal.

As Safir daily quoted informed sources as saying that the militants, who have been besieged in the area after the army blocked all dirt roads on the town's outskirts, are seeking the passage to guarantee their supply of food and oil.

A security source confirmed to the newspaper that the army had isolated Arsal's outskirts from the town.

Approving the safe passage would mean opening the road for the terrorist groups to occupy Arsal again, the source warned.

The army on Friday defused an explosive device weighing around 50 kilograms in Arsal's Ras al-Sarj area.

Y.R.