Lebanese Army Narrows Down on Insurgents in Arsal, Cuts Supply Routes

The Lebanese army tightened its grip in the past two days on the militants in the northeastern town of Arsal, blocking several roads particularly after the militants targeted the army in Ras Baalbek on Tuesday.

The Turkish Anadolu Agency quoted a military source on Monday as saying that “the Lebanese army blocked all the roads between the border town of Arsal and the areas surrounding it where militants from al-Nusra Front and the Islamist State seek hiding.”

MTV confirmed that “the army has narrowed down on insurgents in the outskirts of Arsal preventing them from any contact with the refugee camps and cutting all supply routes."

The Lebanese army lost six of its members on Tuesday in an ambush carried out by armed groups that spread from neighboring al-Qalamun close to Arsal outskirts reaching to Brital.

LBCI said that the army closed two days ago the roads linking Arsal to al-Hosn area and the Wadi Ata. They informed everyone that any movement would be considered hostile.

The sources added that the decision to block the roads came after a number of roadside bombs were planted on the trail that the army usually takes.

Al-Qaida affiliate al-Nusra Front and the Islamist State still hold 27 soldiers as hostages since the clashes that erupted in Arsal in August. Four soldiers have been executed so far.

D.A.

M.T.