Lebanon troops recapture Daesh area
beirut — Lebanese soldiers renewed fire on Daesh group positions on the country’s eastern border with Syria on Sunday after capturing a third of the territory held by militants in the area.
Lebanon’s army began its operation in the Jurud Ras Baalbek and Jurud Al Qaa region early on Saturday, and in the first day captured around 30 square kilometres of territory, a military spokesman said.
“That is around a third of the area controlled by the terrorists,” Brigadier-General Nazih Jreij said late Saturday.
Jreij said 20 IS fighters had been killed in the clashes, and 10 Lebanese soldiers wounded.
Lebanon’s battle against Daesh comes as the militant group faces assaults in both neighbouring Syria and Iraq, where the government early on Sunday announced an offensive on the group’s bastion of Tal Afar.
The attack also comes after Daesh claimed several international attacks, including twin car ramming incidents in Spain that killed 14 people.
Lebanon’s military estimated around 600 Daesh fighters were present in the Jurud Ras Baalbek and Jurud Al Qaa areas, controlling around 120 square kilometres of territory before Saturday’s advances.
On Sunday, Lebanon’s National News Agency reported soldiers were firing heavy artillery and rockets at Daesh positions in Jurud Ras Baalbek.
The army’s assault comes after Lebanon’s powerful militant group Hezbollah waged its own campaign against militants operating in another border area south of the current battle.
The group’s six-day offensive against Daesh and Al Qaeda’s former affiliate in the Jurud Arsal area ended with a ceasefire. —