Terrorist Cells, Weapons Depot Discovered in Sidon

Two terrorist cells were discovered on Monday in the southern city of Sidon, reported Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3).

It said that one cell was seeking to carry out an attack against the al-Zahra mosque, while the other was seeking to attack Army Intelligence positions.

It did not provide further details.

VDL (93.3) later reported that the army raided the Sidon residence of Malek al-Agha, who is a member of the group of fugitive cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir.

Earlier, the army had uncovered a weapons depot in Sidon's old city, reported al-Jadeed television.

It said that the weapons likely belonged to Asir's group. The army later cordoned off the area.

The cache included 15 rocket-propelled grenades and a large number of rifles, said MTV.

Later on Monday, the army issued a statement saying troops "raided the house of the Palestinian Ahmed Adnan Sharaf in Sidon," without managing to find him.

It said he had been “plotting an attack on an army post in the South.”

“A Kalashnikov rifle, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, 17 RPGs, two armed bombs weighing 2.5 kilos each in addition to electric fuses and various military equipment were seized at his house,” the army added.

Separately, troops raided the house of Palestinian national Malek al-Agha in Sidon, “where he was arrested and a Kalashnikov rifle and its ammunition in addition to a walkie-talkie and various military equipment were seized,” the military said.

Al-Jadeed reported that the army had been carrying out raids in Sidon's old city in search of suspected terrorists.

The discoveries came in light of clashes between the army and gunmen in the northern city of Tripoli.

In June 2013, Asir's group waged fierce clashes with the army in Sidon's Abra region.

Scores of soldiers and gunmen were killed in the unrest.

Asir managed to escape arrest and he is still at large.

M.T./Y.R.