Qahwaji Inspects Troops Around Arsal as Army Arrests 8 Suspected Syrian Terrorists

Army chief Gen. Jean Qahwaji inspected on Tuesday Lebanese soldiers who are deployed around the northeastern border town of Arsal to stop the infiltration of militants.

Qahwaji was accompanied by Defense Minister Samir Moqbel. They arrived by helicopter to Labweh from where they headed to Arsal.

Their visit came as the Lebanese army announced the arrest of eight Syrians on suspicion of belonging to terrorist organizations.

Syrian Walid Ahmed Youssef was apprehended on Monday night in an area between Labweh and Arsal for belonging to a terrorist group, the military said in a communique

It also said that “seven Syrians were arrested on suspicion of belonging to terrorist organizations spread on the outskirts of Arsal.”

The military has beefed up its measures in and around Arsal and other eastern border villages to stop the infiltration of fighters from Syria.

Soldiers have frequently clashed with jihadists from al-Nusra Front and the Islamic State group, whose threat rose in August last year when they overran Arsal and took with them troops and policemen as captives.

G.K.

D.A.