Bomb Explodes Near Army Vehicle in NE Lebanon, No Casualties

Local Editor

A roadside bomb exploded Monday near a military vehicle in the northeastern Lebanese border town of Arsal without causing any casualties, security sources said.

The blast took place around noon in the agricultural area of Ras al-Sarj, around 150 meters from the closest home, shortly after a military vehicle had driven by.

No one was wounded in the blast, one source insisted, despite earlier reports that between two and four soldiers had been slightly hurt.

According to reports, the attacker was likely just trying to send a message of mischief and did not intend to target the Lebanese Army.

Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5) cited a military source as saying that the army vehicle was not the target of the blast, as it had passed some time before the device exploded.

There was a state of alert among the town's residents following the blast, as army vehicles were deployed to Arsal's main streets.

The army has come under repeated, sometimes deadly attacks in and around Arsal in recent years.

In March, one soldier was killed and three others wounded in a roadside bomb attack against an army convoy in the Arsal area of Wadi Ata.

Hundreds of militants from Daesh [Arabic acronym for "ISIS" / "ISIL"] and Jabhat Fatah al-Sham are holed up on Arsal's outskirts, leading to frequent skirmishes with the Lebanese Army.

Later Monday, the National News Agency reported that the army was heavily shelling militant posts in the area.

It was unclear if that was routine shelling or a response to the midday attack.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team