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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Reports: Nusra Front Readies to Rip into Arsal as U.S. Drones Offer Assistance to Leb Army |
| 2015-05-22 |
| [AnNahar] The al-Qaeda affiliate al-Nusra ...formally Jabhat an-Nusrah li-Ahli sh-Sham (Support Front for the People of the Levant), also known as al-Qaeda in the Levant. They aim to establish a pan-Arab caliphate. Not the same one as the Islamic State, though .. ... Front is allegedly mobilizing to storm the northeastern border town of Arsal within days as information revealed that U.S. drones are flying over the area to collect data on bully boyz and assist the Lebanese army. Sources close to the jihadist group said in comments published in al-Akhbar newspaper Thursday that the fighting raging in Syria's Qalamoun between the Islamic State ...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allaharound with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not reallyMoslems.... group and Nusra Front will compel the latter to withdraw into Arsal "soon." Despite ideological similarities, the two groups are opposed and in conflict with each other. "The Front considers entering Arsal as a necessary evil... the state and Hizbullah ... Party of God, a Leb militia inspired, founded, funded and directed by Iran. Hizbullah refers to itself as The Resistanceand purports to defend Leb against Israel, with whom it has started and lost one disastrous war to date, though it did claim victory... and forcing us to enter Leb," the sources warned. Al-Nusra Front is cordoned off from all sides as forces of the Syrian regime and Hizbullah are clamping down on it from three axes: South near the outskirts of Nahle, North near Jousieh and Nehmat hill and from the East near the outskirts of Fleita and al-Jarajeer. Thus, according to the daily, the outskirts near Leb's Ras Baalbek remain the only road open before al-Nusra Front, but it remains under the control of the IS. The Nusra Front is left with one option, to head to Arsal, which is under the Lebanese army's control. A Nusra field commander was quoted as saying: "We would only last for a month maximum on the outskirts." The sources pointed out that the group is suffering from a shortage in ammunition, stating that "it will not last long, which would force the fighters to enter Leb." Hizbullah backed by Syrian forces controlled strategic areas in Qalamoun that abuts Leb's eastern border as fighting rages in the region. Hizbullah cites that fear of bully boyz sweeping through Shiite and Christian villages in diverse Leb as one of the main reasons for their involvement in Syria. Some observers however fear the Qalamoun offensive could prompt Islamist bully boyz to launch attacks in Shiite areas of Leb itself, including Beirut's southern suburbs. Meanwhile, ...back at the dirigible, the gondola was dangling by a single thread of rope. Jack!Cynthia cried. I just realized I'm afraid of heights! I don't even like high heels!... As Safir newspaper reported that U.S. drones are flying over Arsal and monitoring the movement of gunnies as the data is being handed over to the Lebanese army. The data indicates that few hundreds of fighters are entrenched on the outskirts in an area between 60 to 90 kilometer square. The army has boosted its measures in Arsal recently to prevent fighters from entering Leb in an attempt to flee the Qalamoun battle. "The army has strong will and is determined to confront terrorism no matter what the sacrifices are," military sources told the newspaper. Arsal Municipal chief Ali Hujeiri told the daily that the "residents of the town will not allow gunnies to create a fuss," calling on jihadists "to leave the town." "The outskirts of Arsal is Lebanese land and the army could take all the necessary measures there," Hujeiri stressed, denying that Hizbullah approached the area. Army Pounds Militant Posts on Outskirts of Arsal [AnNahar] The Lebanese army targeted on Thursday bully boy positions and their movement on the outskirts of the northeastern border town of Arsal. The state-run National News Agency reported that troops used heavy artillery and rocket launchers to pound the posts of jihadists and their movement. Media reports said that the army also targeted gunnies on the outskirts of northeastern border village of Ras Baalbek in the Bekaa. |
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