New Video of Defected Soldier Abdullah Shehadeh Calling for 'Defection' before 'Battle'
Al-Nusra Front group on Tuesday showed a video of the defected soldier Corporal Abdullah Shehadeh calling more than once for defection from the army and stressing that the government is lying to the families of the soldiers kidnapped by the group, because "Hizbullah wants to kill them."
Shehadeh said in a long video that he belongs to "a secret regiment,” announcing his defection from the Lebanese army “that is directed by 'Iranian Hezb Alat' (Hizbullah)” and that he is joining “the ranks of 'al-Mujahideen'."
Shehadeh stood in front of the army Humvees, which he took with him as he escaped, as he said "inside it is a DShK machine gun with four thousand shots in addition to a machine gun and other military equipment, including night binoculars."
He also claimed that these weapons were sent by "Bani Saud for the army to fight 'al-Mujahideen'," in reference to the aid of Saudi Arabia to the army.
Shehadeh's family from the northern Akkar town of Masha said it was surprised by his defection.
The defected soldier also sent a message to the army troops asking them to "immediately defect from the military and join 'al-Mujahideen'." He attacked them at the same time “for following the orders of Hizbullah.”
He also claimed that the army's weapons “are all in the hands of Hizbullah."
He also appealed to “our Emir" Abu Mohammed Joulani leader of al-Nusra Front, inviting him "to enter Lebanon to counter Hizbullah and the Lebanese army that is affiliated to it and to free our people because there are no men in Lebanon."
He pointed out that the army and Hizbullah "consider that the northeastern area of Arsal is a terrorist town and are preventing everyone from entering it."
Shehadeh, who seemed laughing in the video because he began "a new life" as he says, also sent a message to the families of the kidnapped soldiers saying: "Do not believe the government and the army command ... Hizbullah ordered the killing of the prisoners. It doesn't want them to return and it doesn't want the negotiations either. Hizbullah wants to kill the prisoners.”
He added asking: "How would al-Nusra Front release them and it has no guarantees that the army and Hizbullah will not bomb the Syrian refugee encampments in Arsal after the release of the soldiers."
Shehadeh stressed more than once that the battle with Hizbullah and the army is coming, saying remorse will be useless unless the soldiers join al-Nusra Front. He also stressed that "'al-Mujahideen' will not back down, and the battle has not started yet," and it will be led by al-Joulani.
In August, jihadists from the Islamic State and the Qaida-linked al-Nusra Front kidnapped 36 army troops and Internal Security Forces members and took them to Arsal's outskirts as they withdrew from the town following several days of deadly clashes.
Three of the hostages have been killed and the militants warned they would kill more if the Lebanese authorities failed to meet their demands.
Shehadeh's family urged last Saturday, a day after he defected, the Lebanese state to allow “him to return to his country as he is sick and cannot engage in battles.”
Z.A.
M.T.
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