Lebanon launches offensive against IS on Syrian border

BEIRUT: Lebanese troops on Saturday launched an offensive against the Islamic State group on the country’s eastern border with Syria, seeking to drive the jihadists from a long-time stronghold.

The operation came as IS faces multiple military attacks on territory it controls in both Syria and Iraq, where it lost the city of Mosul in July.

In 2014, jihadists invaded the border town of Arsal, capturing 30 Lebanese soldiers and police. Security forces in the region have since come under regular attack.

“In the name of Lebanon, in the name of kidnapped Lebanese soldiers, in the name of martyrs of the army, I announce that operation ‘Dawn of Jurud’ has started,” army chief Gen Joseph Aoun said on Saturday, referring to two border areas —Jurud Ras Baalbek and Jurud al-Qaa — where IS has been active.

“The army is confronting the Daesh terrorists to chase them out and recover territory,” army spokesman Gen Ali Qanso said, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

HEZBOLLAH BEGINS ANTI-ISLAMIC STATE OPS

The Lebanese army’s operation comes after the powerful Shia militant group Hezbollah launched its own campaign against jihadists in another border area. The group’s offensive against IS and Al-Qaeda’s former affiliate in the Jurud Arsal area ended with a ceasefire.

A Hezbollah statement said the group was meeting its pledge to “remove the terrorist threat at the borders of the nation” and was fighting “side by side” with the Syrian army.

‘NO COORDINATION’

Any joint operation between the Lebanese army on the one hand, and Hezbollah and the Syrian army on the other would be politically sensitive in Lebanon and could jeopardize the sizeable U.S. military aid the country receives.

Washington classifies the Iran-backed Hezbollah as a terrorist group.

MILITANTS HAVE LONG BEEN ACTIVE IN MOUNTAINOUS EASTERN LEBANON NEAR THE BORDER WITH SYRIA, WHERE A CIVIL WAR HAS RAGED SINCE 2011.