Lebanon deploys army against IS, jihadists near border town

Lebanon decided on Thursday to deploy army inside the northeastern town of Arsal, bordering Syria, against militant attacks, after "violent clashes" there on Wednesday between Hezbollah and jihadists.

Lebanese Information Minister Ramzi Jreij said that the cabinet had tasked the military with making the "best assessment of the situation in Arsal and its outskirts," indicating that "any decision to intervene militarily to oust jihadists from Lebanese territory would be left to the military's leadership."

Lawmakers, including those from the Shitte movement Hezbollah, have demanded the army's support to oust the Islamic State (IS) and the al-Qaida linked al-Nusra Front militants from Arsal's outskirts.

On Wednesday, Hezbollah's official media reported "violent clashes" with al-Nusra near Arsal, a Sunni Lebanese town on the frontier with Syria.

Hezbollah has been fighting al-Nusra, al-Qaida's Syria affiliate, in the mountainous area north of Damascus, bordering Syria.

Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah has pledged to liberate Arsal's outskirts from the militants if the Lebanese state failed to do so.

However, Lebanese officials warned Hezbollah earlier in March against attacking Arsal, saying protecting the town is the responsibility of the Lebanese state and army.

The army has been confronting the jihadists since last August, when the IS and al-Nusra militants overran Arsal and abducted at least 35 soldiers and policemen after a fierce five-day battle with the army.

The al-Nusra Front later executed four soldiers and the IS beheaded another one. The Lebanese government is negotiating the release of the remaining captives through a Qatari mediator. Endit