Alwaght- Hezbollah resistance movement leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, says ISIS terrorists who left the border region between Lebanon and Syria had no choice, but to surrender to resistance fighters.
“ISIS had no choice, but to submit to us, because they had collapsed from within and had to accept our conditions,” the Hezbollah Secretary General said in televised address on Monday. The Hezbollah leader elaborated on the evacuation of ISIS terrorists from Qalamoun region near the border with Syria.
He added that the battle against ISIS terrorists in Qalamoun has achieved all its objectives, describing the evacuation of the Takfiris from the rugged mountainous region as “the second victory” as Lebanon-Syria border region has been completely purged of their presence.
“August 28, 2017 is the ‘Second Liberation Day,’ regardless whether the Lebanese government recognizes it or not. It’s up to the state if it chooses to set another date but we chose this day because it’s the day when no more Takfiri terrorists exist on the Lebanese soil and Hezbollah’s mission had been successfully accomplished,” Sayyed Nasrallah indicated, adding “It was written with the blood of the Lebanese, Syrian armies, and the Resistance. It will go down in the history of Lebanon and the region.”
The Hezbollah leader went on to say that the fight against ISIS is a battle and not an act of personal vengeance, praising the Lebanese army soldiers for their successful operation against the Takfiri terrorists.
On August 19, Hezbollah and the Syrian army launched a joint operation to evict ISIS terrorists from Qalamoun, located about 330 kilometers north of the Syrian capital, Damascus.
Hezbollah had also started another major operation on July 21 to clear both sides of Lebanon's border with Syria of “armed terrorists.”
ISIS terrorism, part of US, Israeli plot
The Hezbollah chief also described Takfiri terrorism as part of a US-Israeli plot in the region, stating that Washington and Tel Aviv sponsor terrorists in order to dictate their hegemony over the West Asia (Middle East).
Referring to recent discovery of the bodies of a number of Lebanese soldiers who had been in captivity of the ISIS Takfiri terrorist group since 2014, Nasrallah said all parties involved in expelling terrorists were unanimous that without shedding light on the fate of Lebanese soldiers, any victory would be defective.
The Lebanese soldiers were among 30 troops and police kidnapped by ISIS and terrorists linked to al-Nusra Front, affiliate of al-Qaeda, in August 2014 when they briefly overran the Lebanese border town of Arsal.
Syria, Lebanon cooperation significant
The Lebanese Hezbollah leader emphasized that negotiation was the best way to solve the problem of the presence of ISIS along Syrian border with Lebanon, noting that if they had chosen a military solution, they would not be able to find the location of the Lebanese soldiers.
He added that defeating ISIS in various parts of Syria, including in Raqqa, Aleppo and Homs, was instrumental in convincing the terrorist group to leave the Lebanese border with Syria.
“We must not forget that this great victory was achieved through cooperation between Lebanon and Syria,” Nasrallah said, adding that there was currently no terrorist on the Lebanese soil and Hezbollah’s mission had been successfully accomplished.
Victory ceremony
Sayyed Nasrallah set next Thursday as the day to celebrate this victory in Baalbek city near Ras Al-Ain Park where there is also a revered monument for Shiites.
The Hezbollah leader urged all residents of Lebanon’s Beqaa region and other supporters to participate at this ceremony which coincides with the day of Arafa, the day Muslims mark in Hajj and comes before Eid Al-Adha. “At the same time when Muslims will be standing in Arafa, we and those who sacrificed their sons will be standing in Baalbek celebrating this victory. We will be representing the real meaning of Hajj and sacrifice and we’ll be throwing stones on the real Satan and evil,” Nasrallah said referring to rituals pilgrims do during Hajj.
“On Thursday we’ll vow: We are the owners of this land, we won’t leave it, and if any terrorist or Takfiri threaten us we will fight them here, and here we shall be martyred, we hold only one passport, the Lebanese one,” Sayyed Nasrallah concluded.
