Hezbollah will not allow a single jihadi to remain on the outskirts of Lebanon's northeastern border town of Arsal, party chief Hasan Nasrallah said Sunday, vowing to push on with the Qalamoun offensive until the frontier with Syria is secure.
Ignoring calls by his political rivals to steer clear of the volatile village and its outskirts, where large numbers of Nusra and ISIS fighters have taken foothold, Nasrallah said that all sects in Lebanon remained in danger as long as the jihadis had access to the country.
"We will not accept remnants of any terrorist or jihadi on the outskirts of Arsal or any outskirts in the Bekaa Valley," Nasrallah said in a televised speech marking the 15th anniversary of Israel's withdrawal from south Lebanon.
Nasrallah issued a similar message one week ago, promising to liberate Arsal's outskirts from the extremists if the Lebanese state failed to do so.
The call was immediately met with fury by rival politicians who accused Hezbollah of seeking to dominate the area and drag the Lebanese army into conflict. Some warned that any move by Hezbollah against groups around Arsal, which is predominately Sunni, would inflame sectarian tensions.
But Nasrallah dismissed those accusations, saying he was simply calling on the Army to "defend your land, people and sovereignty, and to face your responsibilities, not run away from them.
He recalled the period in 2013 and 2014 when car bombs were rigged in Syria's Qalamoun region and passed through Arsal to target Shiite neighborhoods across Lebanon, saying even then Hezbollah was against the mistreatment of Arsal's residents.
"When our flesh and blood were being torn in Hermel, Nabi Othman, and Beirut's southern suburbs, we said the people of Arsal are our people and are a part of our social fabric. We did not accept that anyone treats them irresponsibly," Nasrallah said.
He warned that jihadi groups like ISIS and the Nusra Front did not distinguish between any minorities, including Sunnis, warning the Future Movement that its leaders and supporters would be the first victims of the jihadis should they take over Lebanon.
For this purpose the offensive launched nearly three weeks ago in Syria's border Qalamoun region would persist until it is free of jihadis.
Hezbollah has been fighting against Nusra-led jihadis in Qalamoun alongside the Syrian army and popular mobilization committees since May 4, driving militants north toward Arsal's outskirts.
Nasrallah made reference to the battles between ISIS and Nusra in Qalamoun despite the Hezbollah and Syrian army offensive, attributing the rift between the rival jihadis to "a lack of religion and mind."
"Even in conflicts they are slaughtering each other’s captives. We are facing a threat that does not tolerate the existence of others," Nasrallah said, emphasizing that it was wrong to describe the war as Sunni versus Shiite. "This is a Takfiri plan against all people..."
In his speech one week ago, Nasrallah said 13 Hezbollah fighters and seven fighters from the Syrian army or allied Syrian militia were killed, denying reports in anti-Hezbollah media that the death toll was in the dozens or hundreds.
"Shame on your attempts to exaggerate the number of our martyrs," Nasrallah said. "Do you think we understate our martyrs? Are embarrassed by them?
"It is thanks to the martyrs and the wounded and the captives that you are living in security and safety in this country," Nasrallah added.
He also accused the U.S. embassy of funding the "psychological warfare" against Hezbollah to try to make it appear fragmented and weak. He said no time has passed since the resistance was born with the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon when Hezbollah was larger, better equipped and more determined than it is today.
Ignoring calls by his political rivals to steer clear of the volatile village and its outskirts, where large numbers of Nusra and ISIS fighters have taken foothold, Nasrallah said that all sects in Lebanon remained in danger as long as the jihadis had access to the country.
"We will not accept remnants of any terrorist or jihadi on the outskirts of Arsal or any outskirts in the Bekaa Valley," Nasrallah said in a televised speech marking the 15th anniversary of Israel's withdrawal from south Lebanon.
Nasrallah issued a similar message one week ago, promising to liberate Arsal's outskirts from the extremists if the Lebanese state failed to do so.
The call was immediately met with fury by rival politicians who accused Hezbollah of seeking to dominate the area and drag the Lebanese army into conflict. Some warned that any move by Hezbollah against groups around Arsal, which is predominately Sunni, would inflame sectarian tensions.
But Nasrallah dismissed those accusations, saying he was simply calling on the Army to "defend your land, people and sovereignty, and to face your responsibilities, not run away from them.
He recalled the period in 2013 and 2014 when car bombs were rigged in Syria's Qalamoun region and passed through Arsal to target Shiite neighborhoods across Lebanon, saying even then Hezbollah was against the mistreatment of Arsal's residents.
"When our flesh and blood were being torn in Hermel, Nabi Othman, and Beirut's southern suburbs, we said the people of Arsal are our people and are a part of our social fabric. We did not accept that anyone treats them irresponsibly," Nasrallah said.
He warned that jihadi groups like ISIS and the Nusra Front did not distinguish between any minorities, including Sunnis, warning the Future Movement that its leaders and supporters would be the first victims of the jihadis should they take over Lebanon.
For this purpose the offensive launched nearly three weeks ago in Syria's border Qalamoun region would persist until it is free of jihadis.
Hezbollah has been fighting against Nusra-led jihadis in Qalamoun alongside the Syrian army and popular mobilization committees since May 4, driving militants north toward Arsal's outskirts.
Nasrallah made reference to the battles between ISIS and Nusra in Qalamoun despite the Hezbollah and Syrian army offensive, attributing the rift between the rival jihadis to "a lack of religion and mind."
"Even in conflicts they are slaughtering each other’s captives. We are facing a threat that does not tolerate the existence of others," Nasrallah said, emphasizing that it was wrong to describe the war as Sunni versus Shiite. "This is a Takfiri plan against all people..."
In his speech one week ago, Nasrallah said 13 Hezbollah fighters and seven fighters from the Syrian army or allied Syrian militia were killed, denying reports in anti-Hezbollah media that the death toll was in the dozens or hundreds.
"Shame on your attempts to exaggerate the number of our martyrs," Nasrallah said. "Do you think we understate our martyrs? Are embarrassed by them?
"It is thanks to the martyrs and the wounded and the captives that you are living in security and safety in this country," Nasrallah added.
He also accused the U.S. embassy of funding the "psychological warfare" against Hezbollah to try to make it appear fragmented and weak. He said no time has passed since the resistance was born with the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon when Hezbollah was larger, better equipped and more determined than it is today.
The Daily Star
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