Hariri via Twitter: Endeavors to Involve Army in Outside Battles will Fail

Al-Mustaqbal Movement chief Saad Hariri emphasized on Thursday that Hizbullah's attempts to involve the army in foreign battles based on a preset date and location will not be successful.

“We will not stand still and watch the viscous attempts to involve the Lebanese army in battles that have been pre-determined in time and place by Hizbullah,” said Hariri via twitter.

The former PM inquired about Hizbullah's involvement in Syria's war asking: “Who authorized them to violate the borders with weapons and gunmen and drag terrorism to Lebanon's territories?”

Hariri's comments came in reference to the latest battles in the mountainous al-Qalamoun region across the eastern Lebanese border, where militants from the Islamic State group and the al-Qaida-affiliated al-Nusra Front engage in fierce battles with Hizbullah and the Syrian army.

The Lebanese army frequently clashes with the militants in their hideouts near the Syrian border, but refuses to get involved in battles on Syrian territories.

On Thursday, the Lebanese army targeted militant positions and their movement on the outskirts of the northeastern border town of Arsal, and gunmen on the outskirts of northeastern border village of Ras Baalbek in the Bekaa.

Observers fear that jihadists linked to al-Nusra Front would overrun Arsal if Hizbullah, the Syrian army and the Islamic State group clamped down on it in the Qalamoun battle.

Hariri addressed families of Arsal and said: “You are the real grantor for Lebanon in the face of terrorism and in the face of sedition. The voices threatening Arsal with doom and destruction will not achieve their goals no matter what.”

He concluded by saying: “Before they say anything about Arsal, let them ask themselves what they are doing in al-Qalamoun.”

The Qalamoun region straddles the Syria-Lebanon border and was a stronghold of rebel forces until a major operation by Syrian regime troops backed by Hizbullah fighters last year.

Hizbullah fighters backed by the Syrian Army have lately taken control of new militant positions on the outskirts of al-Qalamoun.

Hizbullah has been fighting alongside Assad's forces against predominantly Sunni rebels and militants seeking to topple him.

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G.K.