Nasrallah: Battle against ISIS

On Aug 24, 2017

BEIRUT– Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah stated that the battle against the ISIS aims at eliminating this terrorist organization, securing the Syrian-Lebanese borders, unveiling the destiny of the Lebanese military captives, who had been arrested by ISIS, and assuring a safe return to their families, according to SANA.

Nasrallah appreciated Thursday in a speech about the latest developments on the ground the remarkable victory achieved by the Resistance, the Syrian and Lebanese armies and the high morals of their heroes.

“The remaining ISIS terrorists are completely confused and seek an escape or any settlement to exit the area which they have occupied after being besieged in Halimet Qara Heights and its surroundings,” said Nasrallah.

He added that over 270 out of 310 Kilometers of territory has been liberated on the Syrian side, noting that the Lebanese army has liberated 100 out of 140 Km of territory in Lebanon while the Resistance liberated 20-km area.

Sayyed Nasrallah indicated that this incredible achievement against the ISIS resulted from the army-people-resistance golden formula, in addition to the Syrian army.

According to Al-Manar Website, Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah stressed on Thursday that ISIL takfiri terrorists in Lebanon-Syria border outskirts are completely confused and besieged in the center of the battlefield, adding that they prefer to leave the area if they obtain the approval of their central command.

In a televised speech, Sayyed Nasrallah greeted the martyrs, injured and soldiers of the Lebanese and the Syrian armies as well as the Islamic Resistance who are fighting ISIL terrorists in the outskirts area, thanking also all who supported the military campaign to achieve all its aims.

Sayyed Nasrallah said that on the Lebanese side the main objective of the campaign are deploying the army on the border with Syria, securing it and unveiling the destiny of the Lebanese military captives who had been kidnapped by ISIL (in 2014).

Syria aims at liberating the outskirts of western Qalamoun from ISIL terrorists and eliminating their role as a threat and a danger and therefore securing the Damascus-Homs road, especially that ISIL has now become far away in Deir Ezzor, according to Sayyed Nasrallah who added that Hezbollah adopts for its considers that battle cannot be split apart.

Hezbollah leader noted that the outskirts battle against ISIL, on the sixth day, is not easy, but that ISIL military performance has not matched the expectations.

Sayyed Nasrallah added that the Lebanese army has carried out an accurate and professional mission with the least human and materialistic losses.

On the first day of the campaign, Hezbollah fighters liberated a 20 square kilometers in the Lebanese territories in Al-Hosn Castle, according to the Resistance leader who emphasized that 120 out of 140 square kilometers of the Lebanese territories have been liberated by the Lebanese army and Hezbollah.

Sayyed Nasrallah said that on the Syrian side, Hezbollah and the Syrian army have liberated over 270 out of around 310 square kilometers of territory in western Qalamoun from ISIL terrorists who still hold around 40 square kilometers.

Currently, ISIL terrorists are besieged with a semi-circle in the center of the battlefield, according to Sayyed Nasrallah who added that the last phase of the operations must be more accurate and professional as it covers the area where the families of ISIL terrorists are present.

“Dozens of ISIL terrorists have turned themselves in to the Resistance fighters and the Syrian army; however, Hezbollah did not announce that publicly due to its moral commitment.”

Sayyed Nasrallah said that the remaining ISIL terrorists are completely confused and desire to conclude a certain settlement to leave the area, but that ISIL central command is not concerned with letting its terrorists leave the Lebanese-Syrian outskirts peacefully due to its well-know immoral and hardline mentality.

“Our information confirms that ISIL central command is careless about the result of the battle even if all its terrorists in the outskirts get killed.”

On the other hand, the Lebanese and Syrian armies as well as Hezbollah enjoy a boosted morale and all the required element of achieving an imminent victory, Sayyed Nasrallah said.

The military commanders identify the tempo of the battle and the time needed to conclude it, according to Sayyed Nasrallah who called for giving the campaign the needed time in order to achieve the victory with the least possible losses.

Hezbollah accepted ISIL’s request to start a negotiation under the condition that all the objectives of the military campaign, including unveiling the destiny of the Lebanese captives, must be achieved, according to Sayyed Nasrallah who pointed out that the battle operations will continue during ongoing the talks.

Hezbollah started the negotiation after it had obtain that approval of the Syrian authorities; consequently, if the Lebanese government decides to start a negotiation on the Lebanese side, it must coordinate with the state in Syria.

“Syria stressed that the Lebanese government must submit a formal and open request to the Syrian authorities in order to adopt carrying out the items of the would-be deal.”

“The military option overweighs the negotiation track due the hardline mentality of ISIL command.”

Sayyed Nasrallah addressed ISIL command, “The battle has been resolutely decided in order to achieve all its objectives, and the time allotted is not long.”

Addressing the Lebanese people, Hezbollah leader said, “You are ahead of a major victory, do not let the irritants spoil your achievements. After the battle, a lot things will be said about the real intentions of the various parties regarding the war on the terrorist groups.”

“During Arsal battle, all the Lebanese TV channels, except Future TV, reacted positively and patriotically; however, some of those outlets have committed several mistakes while covering up the ongoing battle.”

“US embassy in Lebanon warned some media outlets against presenting Hezbollah as the powerful party that crushes the terrorist groups established by the US and as the country defender, so they avoided covering and broadcasting the developments of the outskirts battle on the Syrian side.”

“Unfortunately, those media outlets lost their credibility, while Hezbollah achievements appear clearly to the whole world.”

“Some of those outlets do not consider that Hezbollah soldiers who get killed during the battle as martyrs; this is immoral and hurtful.”

“The remarkable victory over ISIL in the outskirts results from the army-people-resistance golden formula, and the Syrian army has contributed to this formula during this battle.”

Sayyed Nasrallah concluded his speech by stressing that on May 25 Lebanon celebrates the anniversary of the first liberation, and that the date of the imminent victory over ISIL will become the anniversary of the second liberation.

Dr. Mohammad Abdo Al-Ibrahim

alibrahim56@hotmail.com