Army Continues Deployment in Bab al-Tabbaneh, Stages Raids in Akkar
The army on Tuesday reinforced its deployment in the northern city of Tripoli in the wake of the fierce weekend clashes with Islamist gunmen, as raids to arrest fugitives continued in the nearby region of Akkar.
Army units "are continuing their deployment in the areas of Bab al-Tabbaneh and the old souks in the city of Tripoli,” the Army Command said in a statement.
These districts had witnessed violent gunbattles that erupted Friday evening and only ended at dawn Monday when army forces entered Bab al-Tabbaneh.
Several militants have managed to escape but the army has vowed to press on with its crackdown, rejecting talk of any “settlement” with the militants.
At least 162 suspects have been arrested since Friday, according to the army.
Meanwhile, LBCI TV reported that “al-Ahram Street – which leads to the 'security zone' where Osama Mansour and Shadi al-Mawlawi were entrenched -- has suffered major destruction,” adding that efforts were underway to “remove landmines and debris.”
“The army's withdrawal from Bab al-Tabbaneh is out of the question during this period and the war will not end before the arrest of all fugitives,” military sources told LBCI.
Elsewhere, army forces carried out security raids in the northern regions of “Minieh and the Ain al-Samak ponds all the way to the forests of Akkar al-Atiqa, Akroum and al-Nabi Yousha in search for fugitive gunmen,” the army statement said.
“Thirty-three individuals suspected of belonging to terrorist groups were arrested,” it added.
According to state-run National News Agency, an armored patrol also raided places in the vicinity of the international highway in Akkar's Bhannine, “especially around the Lobnan al-Akhdar bakery and al-Siddiq hall.”
The highway linking Minieh to Akkar and the Syrian border was closed to facilitate the army's mission, NNA said.
Several troops were killed in Bhannine and al-Mhammara between Saturday and Sunday, in armed attacks led by Islamist cleric Sheikh Khaled Hoblos.
Y.R.
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