Report: Christians in Bekaa Take Up Arms as Cautious Calm Prevails in Ras Baalbek
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Christians in the Bekaa Valley are reportedly taking up arms to combat any attack by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant as cautious calm prevailed in Ras Baalbek region in eastern Lebanon after deadly clashes between the Lebanese army and militiamen.
Ad Diya newspaper reported on Sunday that Christians in the Bekaa Valley began purchasing personal arms, grenades and rocket-propelled grenades to combat any threats imposed by jihadists.
The daily said that residents are also carrying out night watches around Ras Baalbek and al-Qaa, estimating that 200 people took up arms, forming a second defense line to support the army.
Eight Lebanese troops were killed and several others were wounded in bloody clashes that erupted between the army and gunmen in the Tallat al-Hamra clashes on Friday, “when terrorists attacked a military surveillance post in Ras Baalbek.”
According to An Nahar newspaper, cautious calm prevailed on the outskirts of Ras Baalbek on Sunday although the army regained its complete control on Tallat al-Hamra post and repelled the terror attack.
The daily said that the area turned into an “open frontier.”
A military source denied in comments published in the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat that a supply line for the armed groups was established in Ras Baalbek or any other area along the Lebanese border.
“We will not allow the establishment of any supply line,” the source stressed, pointing out that the army in Tallah al-Hamra hit with an iron fist and didn't back down.
“They are assaulting Lebanese soil and it's our duty to defend it.”
The army had held the funerals of several of its victims on Saturday.
The border clash was the latest violence between the Lebanese military and militants on the border with Syria.
Syria's civil war has regularly spilled into Lebanon, with jihadists briefly overrunning the eastern Lebanese town of Arsal in August after running gun battles with the army.
The jihadists withdrew after a ceasefire, but took with them several dozen hostages from the Lebanese army and police, four of whom have since been executed.
25 January 2015, 08:33
712
Ad Diya newspaper reported on Sunday that Christians in the Bekaa Valley began purchasing personal arms, grenades and rocket-propelled grenades to combat any threats imposed by jihadists.
Why doesn't the glorious sectarian resistance offer the weapons for free?
25 January 2015, 12:20
132
nothing makes anyone a "legitimate target" pajama.boy, dont start trying to find excuses for the attacks of your terrorist friends.
25 January 2015, 08:37
611
May you be resting in pieces and tranquility at your final destination dear Flamethrower. RIP Shia Hero...
25 January 2015, 08:39
79
I second that thought. Since the "resistance" is the right of all Lebanese, why aren't Hezbollah, who are spearheading the resistance efforts, giving citizens weapons to assist them in confronting the takfiri invasion? Wasn't the government's motto, "The army, the people, the resistance" for a while????
25 January 2015, 09:19
68
Chou khasso fi lmao if Hezbollah are trying to repel the takfiri invasion, they should recruit Lebanese of all sects join the resistance and prevent the takfiri from advancing to Jounieh.
25 January 2015, 10:05
94
nickjames, why are you being so sectarian, do you think it is only christian residents that are purchasing and taking up arms. What about some of the druze and shia villages that are as well. HA supports all residents that are forming cells to confront the takfiris. Do you have an issue with the army cooridinating with the residents. Are you just programmed to find any excuse to accuse HA for anything and everything.
25 January 2015, 10:30
55
Just when I didnt think naharnet could reach new lows, boy was I wrong. Amazing how the comment section has been allowed to be infested with trolls. Naharnet mgnt, You should be ashamed of yourselves. I dont know if it is worth visiting this site anymore.
25 January 2015, 11:06
46
Dahyeboy, what is this self-contradictory nonsense you have written? Let's look at what you just said:
First, when did I say anything about Christians being the only ones buying weapons? And what about the Druze and Shia buying their own weapons? Lol and how is Hezbollah supporting the residents if they aren't providing them weapons to resist? Why do these people have to buy their own weapons and fend for themselves???
And yes I do have a problem with the army coordinating with residents, the army should be taking care of this itself. The last thing Lebanon needs is farmers taking up arms, it's an embarrassment and an insult to the LAF.
25 January 2015, 11:30
46
You people always say the resistance is the right of all Lebanese, yet when it's time to resist, your militia doesn't provide residents the weapons to resist. And where's the Hezbo-LAF collaboration? How come the resistance isn't repelling takfiri attacks against the LAF?? Why isn't Hezbollah deployed all along the borders, instead of just Brital??
The answer is Hezbollah are a group of terrorists who welcome the takfiri invasion because it gives Hezbollah a chance to look stronger at the expense of the army.
25 January 2015, 11:33
45
You people always say the resistance is the right of all Lebanese, yet when it's time to resist, your militia doesn't provide residents the weapons to resist. And where's the Hezbo-LAF collaboration? How come the resistance isn't repelling takfiri attacks against the LAF?? Why isn't Hezbollah deployed all along the borders, instead of just Brital??
The answer is Hezbollah are a group of terrorists who welcome the takfiri invasion because it gives Hezbollah a chance to look stronger at the expense of the army.
25 January 2015, 13:42
62
nickjames, now you want to advise us all on how HA is to conduct itself. LOL, whats the point of replying to you, you are here just to troll the board.
25 January 2015, 20:16
13
Dahyeboy, all I said was if it's true that all citizens have the right to resist, and Hezbollah is the one spearheading resistance activities, they would enable it's fellow people to resist alongside them. Hezbollah has proven that the whole "army, people, resistance" mantra was a complete farce.
25 January 2015, 09:27
63
Stupid Guy---- they are not directly coming in the front so as to avoid making this a sunni-shia confrontation.
25 January 2015, 10:21
35
when the Lebanon army join forces with ISIL to fight the HA terrorism in the region!!!???
25 January 2015, 10:27
44
They are refusing to publish a moderator charter as it will lead half of their own team to be banned
Their team is the one making this trouble
25 January 2015, 11:08
46
Hizbullah, by refusing surrenderring its weapons to the State -thus weakened- brought this situation paving way for a new civil war
25 January 2015, 12:32
46
Nick
"The answer is Hezbollah are a group of terrorists who welcome the takfiri invasion because it gives Hezbollah a chance to look stronger at the expense of the army."
One million % true!!!!
25 January 2015, 12:34
44
Ebola has divided the country between people who hate them and people who blindly support them.
I hate them.
25 January 2015, 12:34
22
know we know why years and years and no weapons to the Lebanese army
they want all factions to rearm again so they can play with them once more
just give sophisticated weapons to our LAF
god bless democracy and god bless our army and whoever defends 10452
25 January 2015, 12:35
46
Ebola is the army of Iran with an Iranian agenda destroying Lebanon.
25 January 2015, 16:36
22
The real resistance is born. This is when Christians take up arms.
25 January 2015, 17:46
40
oh, i guess all other resistance are fake. but if it is christian then it must be real. shaking my head on that one phoenix.
25 January 2015, 16:58
22
DF, you're talking nonsense again, just like most FPMers do. Instead of saying just anything why can't you see facts when Christians took weapons to defend themselves from extinction? If you're focusing on the inter-Christian war between the LF and Aoun's fake army, then why don't you say things as they happened, that it took a traitor, a triple agent like your Aoun to realize the Syrian grand plan to implode the Christian resistance that made life for Hafez Al Assad so miserable? You're talking nonsense as if Geagea was to sit down and watch your Judas Aoun do it his ways.
25 January 2015, 17:22
03
And you DF read your orange book. Nothing that the LF will do will seat well with you. And Android hates you too, lol.
25 January 2015, 17:23
02
Le whatever, that should make more than one on this forum. Look for them Khirfen and stand by them, usually they come in orange colors. Another Toad with a new alias, samo samo.
25 January 2015, 20:30
50
Phoenix regardless of how you feel about Aoun calling the Lebanese army at the time a "fake army" is shameful. Come on that really is not cool! Calling the soldiers who sacrificed their lives in Dahr el wa7sh souk el gharb against the Syrian army etc fake is insulting to their souls and to their families. You are better than that I hope.
25 January 2015, 21:13
03
bro, this ..le.phenicien.. sounds exactly like flamethrower/the_roar bro. He uses the same lingo to attack you. I uncovered his tricks bro. Cheers and Beers bro
25 January 2015, 19:15
30
The biggest problem with Lebanon is, Lebanese. You people just love to hate each other.
25 January 2015, 20:22
30
The country is doomed. How can a country like Lebanon survive when everyone hates everyone? It baffles me how much hatred there is. We will never be a civilised nation. Reading your comments is depressing.
No one should take up arms no one except the LAF. The civil war brought us nothing but destruction and death. Who won at the end? We all lost and the country we pride ourselves in has been torn to shreds and we are trying to rip the stitches apart and bleed it even further.
Maybe we should split the country up because it is clear we are not a united nation. Sad, really sad.
May God bless the LAF who do not need anyone's help to defend us.
25 January 2015, 23:40
02
Finally. Maybe the Kataeb will be back. It is time to take Lebanon back from Shia Muslims. Make it Christian and enjoy prosperity, technology, and freedom.
