Lebanon president vows to fight terrorism

By Wasim Seif al-Din

BEIRUT

Lebanese President Michel Aoun has vowed relentless effort to fight terrorism amid an ongoing offensive against militants in the northeast of the country.

“We will not retreat against terrorism and its organizations,” Aoun said in a speech marking the Army Day on Tuesday.

"We are now waiting for our armed forces to achieve a new victory and liberate what remains of the regions that have been violated for years by terrorists,” he said.

“We hope that these developments will accelerate the disclosure of the whereabouts of your comrades that were kidnapped three years ago and whose fate is still unknown, easing the pain that has been inflicted on their families, their institution and all the Lebanese people,” Aoun said.

Last month, Lebanese forces and Hezbollah group launched a military operation against militants based in and around Juroud Arsal town near border with Syria.

Last week, Hezbollah and militants reached a ceasefire deal under which militants and their families were evacuated to Syria in return for Hezbollah fighters, who were captured during the fight in Syria.

Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011, when the Bashar al-Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests with unexpected ferocity. Since then, hundreds of thousands of Syrian civilians have been killed, according to UN officials.