Militants Killed and Injured as Army Stops Infiltration Attempt

The Lebanese army was able to obstruct overnight a militant group from infiltrating Lebanon through the Wadi Hmayed area in the northeastern town of Arsal.

“The army clashed with armed militants in Wadi Hmayed and obstructed their attempts to infiltrate the town where they clashed with some of the residents pushing them to flee to the town's outskirts,” an army communique said on Thursday.

“The army was able to kill and wound several of the militants including Khaled Ahmed al-Wawa who was arrested and transported to hospital for treatment,” the statement added.

Later during the day, the National News Agency said the army was able to kill 3 militants including an IS official known as al-Ansari while he was trying to infiltrate Wadi Hmayed.

Furthermore, in the northern city of Tripoli a man tossed a 350g improvised grenade in the vegetable market of Bab al-Tebbeneh neighborhood, injuring two persons.

The army cordoned-off the area and arrested a man on suspicion of his involvement in the incident.

The army and other security agencies have been clamping down on outlaws across Lebanon, implementing a security plan to maintain security calmness.

The plan was mainly activated in Tripoli, the northern areas of the Bekaa and in Beirut.

The unprecedented operation of the armed forces aims at quelling violence and reducing the repercussions of the war in Syria on Lebanon.

Several detained suspects are allegedly affiliated to Islamist groups, whose fighters remain entrenched on the outskirts of Arsal after they overran the village and engaged in battles with the army.

D.A.

G.K.