Authorities arrest ‘Syrian ISIS commander’

BEIRUT: Lebanese authorities Thursday arrested a Syrian ISIS commander who took part in clashes with the Lebanese Army in the northeastern towns of Arsal and Ras Baalbek, the National News Agency reported.

NNA said a local police investigation unit arrested Hussein Ghorli, who was receiving treatment at a Bekaa Valley hospital for wounds sustained in clashes with the Lebanese Army in Ras Baalbek last week.

It added that the ISIS commander was involved in the deadly clashes with the Army in Arsal last August.

NNA described him as “one of the most dangerous ISIS militants” in the Syrian region of Qalamoun.

A security source told The Daily Star Ghorli had been admitted to Al-Manara Hospital in Hasbaya, West Bekaa, about 10 days ago.

NNA did not say whether the suspect had been placed under arrest at Al-Manara Hospital or moved to a police-protected wing at another hospital.

But a Syrian rebel source told The Daily Star that Ghorli, a Syrian national, is a member of the Nusra Front, not ISIS.

The source said Ghorli was critically wounded in the head on Feb. 23 during clashes between ISIS and Nusra Front militants on the outskirts of Ras Baalbek.

Ghorli was first smuggled to the underdeveloped Hamed Farhat Hospital in the west Bekaa town of Kamed al-Loz before being moved to the more advanced Al-Manar Hospital, the source said.

The Internal Security Forces did not release an official statement on the issue.

Meanwhile, the Lebanese Army pounded positions of jihadi militants on the outskirts of Arsal in what has become as a near-daily occurrence.

Separately, Prime Minister Tammam Salam chaired a meeting of a crisis cell tasked with negotiating the release of 25 Lebanese servicemen captured by ISIS and the Nusra Front last August during the Arsal battles.

Besides Salam, the cell comprises Defense Minister Samir Moqbel, General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim, Interior Minister Nouhad Machnouk, Health Minister Wael Abu Faour, Finance Minister Ali Hasan Khalil and Maj. Gen. Mohammad Khair, secretary-general of the Higher Defense Council.

Attendees tackled the latest developments in the case.

Negotiations to release the kidnapped policemen and Army soldiers have reportedly achieved progress recently. The captors are demanding the release of Islamist inmates in Roumieh prison in return for freeing the hostages. They have executed four of the captives so far.