(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) By Ayoub Khaddaj BEIRUT, July 29 (KUNA) -- After a few years of the Syrian revolution, different Media outlets have shed light on the Lebanese town of Arsa, which has been hosting thousands of Syrians who fled the country's deadly conflict.
Media has paid much attention to the town as it is the largest border area in Lebanon and has numerous land bordering Syria after the armed terrorist groups had hidden in its mountains, turning them into a main route of their weapons, fighters, and funds between Syria as well as Lebanon.
Over the last period, the Syrian regime and Lebanon's Hezbollah have launched a military operation on the town hosting thousands of Syrian refugees who make up three-fold of Lebanon's population.
The military campaign aimed to dismiss the armed factions out of the town and the Syrian Al-Qalamoun.
Hezbollah has managed to retake most of the land controlled by these factions, while the so-called Islamic State (IS) is still controlling the rugged parts of Arsal and Ras Baalbek in northeastern Lebanon.
In a statement to reporters two days ago, Lebanon's general security chief Abbas Ibrahim announced a casefile was reached with Tahrir Al-Sham (formerly Al-Nusra Front) in the outskirts of Arsal bordering eastern Syria.
Jaroud Arsal area poses a grave concern to Hezbollah and Lebanon, which seek to liberate their soldiers abducted by the armed groups.
The Lebanese government seeks to cleanse its land from the armed groups under the agreement, expected that it would lead to a withdrawal of the armed men from Syria's Idlib provided that Al-Nusra Front releases the Hezbollah's fighters who were taken captive during battles in 2016.
In a statement to KUNA, Nezar Abdulqader, a Lebanese military expert, has underlined the importance of Arsal as it is a town bordering Syria's Al-Qalamoun and the countryside of Homs.
He added that the Lebanese government sought to protect Arsal residents and kept them away from sectarianism.
Arsal is 316 square meters area and situated on the slopes of the Anti-Lebanon mountains. It is known for its local hand-made carpet industry. The town is famous for being one of the few places in the Anti-Lebanon with a good water supply.
Arsal is divided into three parts. It is famous for some fruits like olive, grape and grain, as well as crops like lentils, wheat, hummus and others.
Arsal has a population of 35,000 people suffering from lack of services in a number of sectors. (end) ayb.om.hm
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