Nusra Front Says 'Spring Battle' to Target Syria Not Lebanon

The al-Qaida-affiliate al-Nusra Front reassured that it will not assault Lebanon or its army, stressing that they are not targets by the group.

Sources close to the Nusra Front stressed in comments published in al-Akhbar newspaper on Monday, that the group's direction is Syria and not Lebanon, pointing out that “Lebanon and its army are not included on the list of targets.”

The sources said that the so-called spring battle “will be towards the Syrian Qalamoun,” vowing “unexpected surprises during the confrontation.”

They noted that the “Nusra fighters are in high spirits.”

The daily said that Hizbullah's leadership is “aware that the near battle will be costly and prolonged.”

Sources close to the party said “Hizbullah decided to engage in the battle to safeguard Lebanon.”

Media reports recently said that fierce battles are expected to erupt along the border with Syria as the weather improves, adding that Hizbullah mobilized hundreds of fighters in Syria during the past few days ahead of the expected clashes.

The reports noted that fighters linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in the Syrian al-Qalamoun are mobilizing and moving closer to the border with Lebanon ahead of a battle along the country's eastern border.

The Lebanese army frequently clashes with the militants in their hideouts near the Syria border.

When the Syrian revolt erupted in March 2011, the Lebanese eastern border town of Arsal served as a key conduit for refugees, rebels and wounded people fleeing strife-torn Syria, but the Lebanese army stepped up it's security measures in the village to stop infiltrations.

It was overran in August by gunmen belonging to the two al-Nusra Front and ISIL, who withdrew from the town by taking several soldiers and policemen hostage. Four have been so far executed.

The IS, which controls several areas in Syria and Iraq, aims to spread to Lebanon as its fighters position in the outskirts of Bekaa towns bordering Syria and the Lebanese army is in adamant efforts to stop their efforts to infiltrate the country.

ISIL and al-Qaida-affiliate al-Nusra Front are battling in Qalamoun the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad and Hizbullah forces alongside each other, with support from some smaller Islamist rebel groups.

H.K.

G.K.