Lebanese soldiers posted on armored vehicles at the entrance to the border village of Naqoura, on Jan. 7, 2025, after the Israeli withdrawal. (Credit: AFP)
BEKAA — The Lebanese Army reinforced its presence Monday in Arsal (Baalbeck district) after gun clashes between members of the Islamic State and Syrian forces occurred in Fleita, a Syrian town bordering Arsal, our correspondent in the Bekaa reported.
Lebanese Army reconnaissance aircraft were also mobilized to monitor the Lebanese-Syrian border and prevent the infiltration of ISIS fighters into Lebanese territory. Contacted by L'Orient-Le Jour, a Lebanese Army source declined to comment.
With the emergence of ISIS in the region, Lebanon has faced repeated security breaches, mainly in areas that border Syria. In 2014, the Lebanese Army and jihadists from ISIS and the al-Nusra Front (an al-Qaida branch) fought a long and major battle in Arsal.
ISIS cells continue to operate from the Syrian Badia (desert region), as well as in Lebanon. In early 2022, dozens of young Lebanese from Tripoli disappeared overnight, reportedly to join ISIS in Iraq. Members of a cell were arrested in north Lebanon in June 2024, after committing robberies to finance their activities.
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