Report: 400 Lebanese from North Joined Syria Rebels since Beginning of Uprising

Around 400 Lebanese youth from the north had joined jihadists in Syria since the beginning of the war in the neighboring country, media reports said on Saturday.

As Safir newspaper reported that in 2014 around 200 Lebanese youth from the north, most of them between 18 – 22, headed to Syria to join rebels.

The daily said that some of the youth are joining the Islamic State jihadist group in Syria, while others join the al-Qaida-affiliate al-Nusra Front in the Syrian al-Qalamoun.

The report continues that around 11 of them were killed in suicide attacks in Syria.

Unofficial statistics show that 65 Lebanese people have been so far killed in Syria and Iraq, 13 in the Syrian border town of Tal Kalakh, two in the northern Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr al-Bared and around 10 people from the Alawite neighborhood of Jabal Mohsen in the northern district of Akkar, while fighting alongside the Syrian army.

A security source revealed in comments to As Safir newspaper that a suspicious act is being prepared for the northern city of Tripoli, praising the cooperation of the residents with the army.

The source said that the security situation is under control, expressing fear of attempts to destabilize the north through suicide attacks by members who belong to ISIL and al-Nusra Front.

Fugitives Ousama Mansour and Shadi al-Mawlawi are reportedly recruiting youth to join al-Nusra Front by running an operation cell at the southern Palestinian refugee camp of Ain el-Hilweh.

The two fugitives have been charged in absentia with belonging to an armed terrorist group in order to stage terrorist acts.

Al-Nusra Front claimed last week's attack on a crowded cafe in the Alawite region of Jabal Mohsen that killed nine people and wounded 37 others.

Hizbullah fighters have also been aiding troops loyal to President Bashar Assad against rebels trying to topple him.

Lebanese are deeply divided between supporters of Syria's regime and backers of the Syrian uprising.

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