Syrian army, Hezbollah launch offensive against IS

Damascus Aug 19 (IANS) The Syrian army and the Lebanese Hezbollah group on Saturday launched an offensive against the Islamic State (IS) militants in the Qalamoun region in tandem with an operation by the Lebanese army on the Lebanese side of the border against the IS the military said.

Dubbed "If You Return We Will Return" the operation aims to clear the badlands of the Qalamoun region in Syria just a couple of weeks after both allies dislodged the Al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front from the region and the adjacent Juroud Arsal barrens on the Lebanese side of the border Xinhua news agency quoted a military official as saying.

The cross-border battle was anticipated after the defeat of Nusra in the border areas in both Syria and Lebanon.

In the last battle against Nusra the Syrian army and Hezbollah were fighting on the Syrian side of the border and other Hezbollah fighters were battling on the Lebanese side of the frontier.

At the time the Lebanese army was not engaged in the fight but took defensive positions in case of any attempt by the Nusra militants to carry out counter attacks.

In this battle against the IS Hezbollah and the Syrian army are fighting in Syria while the Lebanese army is fighting the group in Lebanon.

Lebanese officials said there was no coordination between the Lebanese army and Hezbollah or the Syrian army.

The army in Lebanon will have to liberate around 120 sq km from the IS while the Syrian army and Hezbollah are fighting to defeat the group in 150 sq km of border terrain.

The source said the Syrian army and Hezbollah were advancing in the badlands of Qalamoun against the IS mainly in the barrens of Jarajir and Qara.

The source said the IS militants started surrendering after the advance of the army and Hezbollah in Zamrani area of Qalamoun.

Also the Lebanese army was reportedly advancing in Ras Baalbek area on the Lebanese side of the border.

--IANS
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