Soldier Killed in Akkar as Tripoli Suspects Held after Attacks on Army Patrols

A Lebanese soldier was killed at dawn Friday when assailants opened fire on a bus transporting troops on the Bireh road in the northern Akkar district, the army and the state-run National News Agency said.

The dead soldier was identified as Jamal Jean al-Hashem, who hails from the town of Qobayyat.

Following the attack on the army bus, the military deployed heavily in Akkar and erected checkpoints along the road of Halba and Qobayyat.

The army said in a communique that troops carried out raids in the area in search for the suspects. According to NNA, at least Syrians were arrested.

The shooting angered the residents of Qobayyat, who closed schools and announced a general mourning in the town. They also blocked several roads.

The army said in another communique that also at dawn Friday armed men opened fire on two military patrols in the area of al-Bissar in the northern city of Tripoli.

A hand grenade was also tossed at a military post, it said.

The attacks did not cause any casualties but the army responded to the sources of fire, the communique added.

The assaults on Friday came hours after the army defused a homemade bomb in Tripoli, said NNA.

Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5) said the 200-gram bomb was found in Tripoli's Abi Samra district.

Later on Friday, the army carried out raids in Tripoli's al-Mankoubin area, arresting several fugitives, including Rami al-Gharib and Bilal al-Mir, according to NNA.

A number of women hurled stones at the army during the raids, the agency added.

For the past few months, the military has been coming under increasing armed attacks mainly in northern Lebanon.

Since August, the Lebanese army has been fighting militants from the Islamic State group and al-Qaida-linked al-Nusra Front near the border with Syria.

Earlier that month, the extremists crossed into the northeastern town of Arsal from Syria, capturing soldiers and policemen. Two of the soldiers have since been beheaded and one has been killed in captivity.

The attacks against the military rose after the Arsal gunbattles.

G.K.

H.K.