Army's Elite Forces Control New Posts on Outskirts of Arsal

The army's elite forces advanced towards the outskirts of the northeastern border town of Arsal and controlled strategic posts, An Nahar newspaper reported on Saturday.

The daily said that the army controlled during the “unique” military operation, which kicked off at dawn on Friday, advanced posts on the outskirts of the Bekaa border towns Qaa and Nahle after gunmen fled their positions.

A military source told the newspaper that the “rapid and swift” operation was a follow up for a similar one carried out in Tallet al-Hamra in the outskirts of Ras Baalbek.

The army said in a communique issued on Friday that troops controlled, during the military operation on the outskirts of Arsal, positions that were used by terrorist groups to infiltrate Lebanon and assault soldiers.

In February, the Lebanese army advanced on the outskirts of the villages of Ras Baalbek and Arsal, establishing new checkpoints and surveillance posts.

The Islamic State, 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.

The jihadists remain entrenched on the outskirts of Arsal on the porous Syrian-Lebanese border.

The mountainous area has long been a smuggling haven, with multiple routes into Syria that have been used to transport weapons and fighters.

The army has been targeting gunmen along the country's eastern border to prevent them from advancing.

H.K.

D.A