Army Arrests Lebanese and Syrians in Tripoli Raids, Seizes Arms Depot for Sheikh Diqmaq

The army said Friday it has arrested several people suspected of attacking soldiers and seized weapons and ammunition from a depot in the northern city of Tripoli.

The military said in a communique that eight Lebanese were apprehended for involvement in shooting attacks and for tossing grenades at military posts.

It also arrested six suspicious Syrians who had been wandering in Tripoli without proper identification.

The Army Command stated: “During a patrolling inspection in Tripoli's Souk al-Khodra, the army found a 107mm booby-trapped rocket and 5 explosive devices for remote bombing, weighing about 23 kg, that were placed by gunmen to target army troops, during the implementation of the recent army operations in the town. The army then imposed a gasket around the place and the military expert arrived to the scene and worked on dismantling them."

Also Thursday, troops raided several areas in the Tripoli neighborhood of Abi Samra, said the army.

It seized rifles, machineguns, rockets, hand grenades, ammunition, explosives and military gear from a depot in the area, the communique added.

It later explained in another statement that it monitored on Thursday night suspicious activity linked to this area, which prompted it to carry out the raid and discover the depot.

Investigations revealed that the weapons belong to Bilal Diqmaq.

Sheikh Bilal Diqmaq is head of the Iqraa organization for social development.

Also on Friday the army discovered five explosives near the Rawshani mosque that were probably left over from the recent Tripoli clashes.

The army has been carrying out large-scale raids since weekend battles with extremists in Tripoli and the region of Koura in search for suspects. Scores of militants have been arrested.

G.K.

M.T.