Army Thwarts Infiltration by Gunmen into Arsal

The army opened fire overnight Tuesday at gunmen who tried to infiltrate into Lebanese territories through the northeastern border, media reports said.

Armed men reportedly targeted army posts in the northeastern border town of Arsal, compelling soldiers to retaliate by opening fire and forcing them to retreat, using light and medium weapons.

This is the second infiltration attempt in less than two days.

Jihadists from al-Qaida-linked al-Nusra Front and the Islamic State group are entrenched on the outskirts of Arsal on the porous Syrian-Lebanese border.

They engaged in a bloody fighting with the Lebanese army in August and took with them hostages from the military and police.

The extremists later executed three of them and threatened to kill more if the Lebanese authorities failed to meet their demands, including the release of Islamists jailed in Roumieh.

H.K.

G.K.