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Eleven members of the Islamic State group, also known as ISIS, have
been arrested near Lebanon’s border with Syria, the Lebanese army said
Friday. The terrorist group has claimed several blasts in the country in
the past two years, killing several people.
The ISIS fighters
were arrested following an operation by the army near the country’s
border town of Arsal, the army said. An ISIS center was targeted in the
operation and Ahmad Youssef Amoun the local commander of the extremist
group, was captured and seriously injured, the Associated Press reported, citing the army.
No security personnel were injured in the operation, the army said.
Amoun, who was taken to a hospital
in Beirut for emergency treatment, had carried out several blasts that
rocked Lebanon recently, according to the army. He was reportedly
involved in making car bombs that were used in attacks across the
country, including the southern suburbs of Beirut. The army said that
the commander was also behind attacks on army posts during conflict in
the region in August 2014 when ISIS and al Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate Al
Nusra Front occupied Arsal for a brief period.
Last December, 16
Lebanese hostages held by Al Nusra were released following lengthy
negotiations. However, ISIS is yet to release nine of 25 Lebanese
hostages held during the Arsal fight in 2014.
