Juan Cole: Pan-Mideast War: ISIL and al-Qaeda attack Hizbullah outposts Near Lebanese Border

[marmar]

By Juan Cole


ISIL and al-Qaeda have, according to Hizbullah, launched attacks in Syria’s Qalamoun district (abutting the Lebanese border near Baalbek) on Hizbullah military outposts on the Syrian side.

Hizbullah is acting in Syria as an adjunct to the Syrian Baath Army and helped reduce Qusayr and Homs last spring. The Syrian rebels were exploring for weaknesses in the Shiite party-militia’s positions in the mountainous area.

Al-Qaeda and ISIL are said to have briefly overrun the Hizbullah outpost at the small town of Brital, but then were pushed back out. Villagers and townspeople in the area are said to have formed a militia in anticipation of fighting the Sunni extremists themselves, but Hizbullah asked them to stand down.

Hizbullah spokesmen said that 5 of its members were killed and “dozens” of the enemy were killed, and that several were captured alive. The rebels did not penetrate Lebanon. ..................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.juancole.com/2014/10/hizbullah-outposts-lebanese.html

[BayouBengal07]

1. Unfortunately, I'm surprised it took this long to knock on Lebanon's door.

Their civil war was the blueprint for Syria, and the fragile sectarian balance that has survived from the Tai'f Accords through Hariri and the Israeli incursion is going to face it's greatest test yet.