Daesh, Al-Nusra Continues Clashes in Eastern Lebanon

Local Editor

Fighting between Daesh [the Arabic Acronym for the terrorist "ISIS" group] and the al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front spread from Syria into Lebanon's northern Bekaa Valley region on Monday, a security source and the state news agency said.

Eighteen Nusra Front fighters were killed and six were taken prisoner during the clashes. Fourteen Daesh militants were also killed, the security source said.

The fighting began on Sunday near the Syrian town of Jrajeer in the Qalamoun Mountains near the Syrian-Lebanese border, before spreading towards the Lebanese towns of Ras Baalbek and Arsal, the source said.

Lebanon's National News Agency reported that al-Nusra Front had fought on Sunday to regain some positions it lost to Daesh. In the fighting it said ten Nusra Front fighters and eight Daesh militants had died.

The border is not clearly demarcated in the mountainous region and fighting often spills over into Lebanon.

Al-Nusra Front and Daesh terrorists have staged regular incursions into Arsal from the barren hills just outside the town. They overran the town briefly in 2014 before withdrawing to the hills after clashes with the army.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team