30 August 2017•Update: 31 August 2017
By Wasim Saif al-Din
BEIRUT
Lebanese President Michel Aoun on Wednesday announced his country’s “victory over terrorism” following a 10-day army campaign against Daesh terrorists holed up near the Syrian border.
Earlier Wednesday, Lebanese Army Commander General Joseph Aoun (no relation) officially announced the successful completion of the Lebanese army’s Operation Fajr al-Juroud.
He described the operation, which was first launched last week, as “a decisive victory against terrorism -- one that succeeded in expelling Daesh from the border towns of Ras Baalebek and Al-Qaa”.
At a press conference convened in Beirut with the army commander and Defense Minister Yacoub Sarraf, President Aoun congratulated the army on its achievements and honored the “martyrs who fell during the campaign”.
On Aug. 19, the Lebanese army launched a wide-ranging campaign to purge Daesh terrorists from mountainous areas near the Syrian border.
According to official Lebanese figures, six army personnel were killed in the fighting -- and another 17 injured -- while dozens of Daesh fighters were killed.
