Report: Gunmen in North Lebanon Fled Clashes during Truce
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Gunmen, who engaged in deadly battles with the Lebanese army in the northern coastal city of Tripoli and in Akkar over the weekend, deserted their positions and fled the scene after they realized that they will not be able to stand firm against the army, As Safir newspaper reported on Thursday.
According to the daily, gunmen linked to fugitives Shadi al-Mwalawi and Ousama Mansour in Tripoli's al-Tabbaneh neighborhood decided to leave their position after Mawlawi posted a voice record accusing Muslim scholars of “abandoning them.”
Sources said that gunmen escaped the Sunni neighborhood during a humanitarian truce, which was made to evacuate civilians.
“The armed men moved through the narrow alleyways to al-Mallouleh and into the Western Saqi area, where they carried out their military training,” the sources added.
The Western Saqi area is close to Bab al-Tabbaneh and is the main passageway towards the coast.
The report said that Mawlawi and Mansour didn’t flee al-Tabbaneh neighborhood together, fearing that the army would detain them both.
The Lebanese army has been carrying out large-scale raids since the weekend in Tripoli and the region of Koura in search for suspects. Some of the gunmen were detained while others fled.
The battle between the Lebanese army and extremists in northern Lebanon was widely expected after members of the Islamic State group and al-Qaida's branch in Syria, the Nusra Front, launched several attacks over the past weeks in areas on the border with Syria.
Lebanese troops have been subjected to a wave of attacks over the past months.
Meanwhile, As Safir newspaper reported that gunmen-led by Islamist cleric Sheikh Khaled Hoblos fled after clashes with the army in the town of Bhannine in the Akkar district into Dhour Bhannine area, where they engaged in direct clashes with the army, and moved towards the Oyoun al-Samak area in al-Dinniyeh.
The newspaper said that the armed men could have fled Oyoun al-Samak into two directions, either Akkar or Dinniyeh.
Gunmen linked to Sheikh Hoblos, a previously unknown cleric, engaged in clashes with the army over the weekend in the town of Bhannine.
H.K.
G.K.
30 October 2014, 08:29
64
As Safir obviously interviewed them and they gave accurate account of how they used the narrow alleyways under the disguise of darkness, lightning, and thunder.
30 October 2014, 08:45
53
Yes how did they know. AND! HOW could they get away since the army had them surrounded?
Another case ...... they got away scenario.
30 October 2014, 12:32
43
According to locals in tripoli, right after their attack in the souks the gunmen entered civilian homes, shaved, stole civilian clothes and walk out right in front of the soldiers who couldnt recognize them.
later, and still according to locals, when the fighting intensified and the army closed in on bab el tabbeneh, about a dozen tinted "official looking" cars came in and extracted the main leaders and gunmen.
seems like they had some outside cover, and here your guess is as good as mine but i'd be surprised in rifi didnt have a hand in it.
30 October 2014, 12:41
32
You beat me to it mowaten. I was thinking the same thing, exactly the same! Who else but the locals.
We are so so similar: we are both narcissists, both shia extremists who pretend to be moderates, both have an inferiority complex, both pretend to be secular, and both have multiple accounts. I just hope readers don't think we are the same poster.
30 October 2014, 12:42
34
mowaten, you sound like an immature kid completely disconnected from reality, just trying to build some silly rationale based on bits & pieces of propaganda and lies.
if you know anyone in tripoli ask them who those locals were; everybody knows except you it seems.
30 October 2014, 11:27
42
definitely not surprised, if they are as courageous as their financials ...they only could flee (-:
30 October 2014, 13:13
26
Cowards, shooting when they are strong, and running when the army gets to them. That is why I always maintain, frappez avant de parler, at least this way no coward terrorist will run.
30 October 2014, 13:54
34
agreed. as long as every effort is made to spare innocents and civilians, yes, the army should unleash hell on them without a second thought.
30 October 2014, 15:10
23
Indeed Mowaten, every effort should be done to spare the civilian population, but then, after that, the chase of the culprits must not stop either, only when all the crooks and law-breakers have been arrested and jailed or executed preferably would the civilian world live in peace, real peace.
