Skip to main content

Four reasons Hezbollah is concerned by Syrian militants

The continuing infiltration of Syrian fundamentalists and terrorists into the southeastern corner of Lebanon might lead to a clash with Israel, or to Sunni-Shiite strife in the already tense areas.
A Lebanese army soldier sits atop an army vehicle at the entrance of the Sunni Muslim border town of Arsal, in eastern Bekaa Valley, as smoke rises during clashes between Lebanese army soldiers and Islamist militants August 4, 2014. The Lebanese army advanced into a border town that was attacked by Islamists in an incursion from Syria at the weekend, finding the bodies of 50 militants, a Lebanese security official said.     REUTERS/Hassan Abdallah    (LEBANON - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST MILITARY TPX IMAGE

Sources close to Hezbollah said the Shiite organization has been voicing growing concern about repeated infiltration by armed Syrians from Syria into the western Bekaa Valley, to the southeastern corner of Lebanon. This region, which constitutes a border triangle between west Lebanon, east Syria and south Israel, has undergone recurring clashes and gunfire.

Official security forces have managed twice within the past few weeks, on July 3 and on Aug. 28, to arrest a number of these armed militants. However, many questions hang over other cases of infiltration, which have yet to be controlled by Lebanese security forces. Some of these questions are about the number of Sunni fundamentalists who have crossed the border from Syria into Lebanon in the western Bekaa Valley.

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.