Lebanon army thwarts infiltration attempt by terrorists

The Lebanese army says its forces have foiled a terrorists’ plot to infiltrate the country through the northeastern town of Arsal on the border with violence-hit Syria.

The army said in a statement on Friday that Lebanese troops repelled an attempt by a group of gunmen to sneak into Lebanon near an army base in Wadi Hmeid, an area on the outermost edge of Arsal situated 124 kilometers (77 miles) northeast of the capital, Beirut.

The statement added that Lebanese government forces engaged in an exchange of fire with the infiltrators, shooting dead three of them.

A Syrian militant from the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra Front terror group, identified as Adham Shedad, was among the slain gunmen.

On Wednesday, Lebanese soldiers detained two men with links to terrorist groups near Arsal.

One of the two men was wanted for his role in the August battle between Lebanese army forces and militants in Arsal, while the other detainee was being sought on charges of stealing cars and rigging them with explosives in the border town.

Over the past months, Lebanon has been suffering from terrorist attacks by al-Qaeda-linked militants as well as random rocket attacks, which are viewed as a spillover of the conflict in Syria.

More than 1.1 million Syrian refugees are currently taking shelter in Lebanon. The influx of Syrian refugees is exerting huge pressure on the Arab state’s poor infrastructure, education and health systems.

Syria has been grappling with a deadly crisis since March 2011. Western powers and their regional allies – especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey – are the main supporters of the militants operating inside Syria.