Syrian Held in Akkar for 'Manufacturing Mortars for Arsal Terror Groups'
A Syrian man was arrested Wednesday in the Akkar border town of al-Hisheh on charges of “manufacturing mortar guns for the terrorist groups in Arsal's outskirts,” state-run National News Agency reported.
The suspect, who was apprehended by a State Security patrol after a surveillance operation, is also accused of “communicating with the fugitive terrorist M. W. who killed troops on an army checkpoint in Arsal, smuggling a stolen pickup truck from Syria to Lebanon, and involvement in drug trading and smuggling.”
Militants from the Islamic State and the rival jihadist group Fateh al-Sham Front are entrenched in mountainous areas along the undemarcated Lebanese-Syrian border and the army regularly shells their posts while Hizbullah and the Syrian forces have engaged in clashes with them on the Syrian side of the border.
The two groups overran the eastern border town of Arsal in 2014 before being ousted by the army after days of deadly battles.
The retreating militants abducted more than 30 Lebanese soldiers and policemen of whom four have been executed and nine remain in IS' captivity.
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://cdn.naharnet.com/stories/en/222488 |