HERMEL, Lebanon: Two gunmen on a motorcycle shot and wounded a Lebanese Army soldier Thursday in the northeastern border town of Arsal, security sources and the military said.
Security sources told The Daily Star Adjutant Ahmad Awdeh suffered gunshot wounds to the back in the 5:30 a.m. attack.
They said Awdeh had just left home heading for duty when two gunmen on a red dirt bike opened fire on him.
They said Awdeh was taken to Rayan hospital in Baalbek, some 35 kilometers from Arsal, where he is said to be in stable condition.
In related news, a man nicknamed Abu Madariss tossed a hand grenade only meters away from a Lebanese Army position in the Mankoubeen neighborhood of the northern city of Tripoli.
They said soldiers returned fire. No casualties were reported from the dawn attack, security sources said.
Meanwhile, the Lebanese Army said it arrested late Wednesday six Lebanese men and a Syrian for suspected links with terrorist organizations.
A military statement said the suspects had images of terrorists on their cell phones, in addition to conversations inciting attacks on the Army with orders to monitor Army patrol movement.
The Army has intensified its crackdown on militants across the country after soldiers have repeatedly come under attack in recent weeks.
There has been rising tension between Lebanon’s Sunni community and the Lebanese Army. While the Army says it is targeting terrorists, regardless of their sect, some Sunnis have criticized the military for only focusing on Sunni militants, while looking the other way at Hezbollah’s involvement in the Syrian war.
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