Qahwaji: Al-Nusra and ’ISIS’ Twins in Terrorism, No Safe Passage for Militants

Local Editor

Lebanon's Army commander Gen. Jean Qahwagi dismissed reports that there is a haven for "ISIS" and al-Nusra Front militants entrenched along the Syria-Lebanon border.

"There is no safe passage nor a humanitarian [corridor] for the militants," Qahwagi said in remarks published Wednesday. "This point did not exist in the [swap] deal."

He further stated: "Militants were never in the [northeastern border] town of Arsal, but on its outskirts at a distance between 5-8 kilometers."

In an interview with al-Akhbar daily, the top military official highlighted that Arsal's original population of 30,000 has multiplied to around 130,000, due to the influx of Syrian refugees. Even so, "the town is under the Army's control."

"We carry out raids and regularly arrest suspects with links to terrorist organizations."

On the definition of terrorism, he stated that there is "no double definition for terrorism."

"Anyone who holds a gun in face of the state, the army, and security forces is a terrorist."

According to Qahwaji, "Al-Nusra Front and "ISIS" are the twin children of al-Qaeda."

"The difference between the two terrorist groups is that the first calls for an Arabic Khilafa' [succession] while the latter calls for a so-called "Islamic" one," he elaborated.

Moreover, Qahwaji reiterated what he had said to Western officials, ‘Al-Nusra Front shoots on the head, while "ISIS" cuts it. They are equal in murder and terrorism."

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team