Army Seizes New Posts in 'Swift' Operation in Ras Baalbek Outskirts
The Lebanese army advanced on Thursday on the outskirts of the northeastern villages of Ras Baalbek and Arsal, establishing new checkpoints and surveillance posts, in a “swift” operation that left five troops wounded.
The military said in a communique that “army units deployed at dawn (on Thursday) on the outskirts of Ras Baalbek and fully controlled the heights of Sadr al-Jarash and Harf al-Jarash.”
The statement said that soldiers inflicted heavy losses among the ranks of the militants, seizing a quantity of heavy and light arms, bombs, ammunition and military equipment.
Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3) reported that the army's Airborne Regiment deployed in the area as the military seized control of strategic positions.
The state-run National News Agency said that clashes intensified at 5:00 am on the Eastern Mountain Range on the Lebanese-Syrian border between the army and Islamist gunmen.
NNA said that the military targeted the outskirts of Ras Baalbek and Arsal, in particular Tallat al-Hamra and Om Khaled, with heavy- and medium-cal artillery.
The military's helicopters and drones accompanied the field operation.
The NNA later reported that a soldier was slightly injured when the clashes renewed at noon. He was transferred to a nearby hospital for treatment.
It later said army forces fired heavy artillery at movements and gatherings for the militants on the al-Njasa and al-Mkhairmy hills in Arsal's outskirts.
NNA noted that the extremists retreated to the aforementioned hills after being routed by the army from the al-Jarash area.
The army now has the ability to target any movement by the militants in the area, the agency added.
It also reported the army's injury toll had risen to five, including an officer. They were transferred in a military helicopter to hospitals in Hermel and Beirut.
Army troops also expanded the area of operations by targeting the Wadi Hmeid area in Arsal's outskirts after the militants fled to it, NNA added.
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./Y.R.
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