The Nusra Front claimed Tuesday that it had killed several Hezbollah militants and confiscated their weapons in an attack on two of the party's outposts near Arsal's outskirts. The jihadi group announced on its Twitter account that its militants attacked two Hezbollah positions between the outskirts of the Lebanese villages of Nahleh and Arsal. It did not specify the number of Hezbollah fighters killed, but said that all stationed at the two outposts were dead. Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV also reported that Nusra's militants attacked two party positions in the area of Harf Mohsen, but said the attack was foiled and several jihadis we killed. It did not mention any deaths among Hezbollah's fighters. Hezbollah and the Syrian army launched an offensive in the Qalamoun region on May 4, capturing dozens of militant bases and driving Syria-based jihadis north toward the outskirts of the northeastern Lebanese border town of Arsal. The joint offensive has resulted in the capture of more than 310 square kilometers out of the 780 square kilometers of Lebanese and Syrian lands that the jihadis had controlled last month. Nusra Front is the most prominent jihadi faction operating in Qalamoun, while ISIS is also present in some areas but in smaller numbers. Tensions between the two jihadi groups have also risen dramatically recently, prompting the Nusra Front to promise the "eradication" of ISIS from the area. Together, the two jihadi groups hold a total of 25 Lebanese servicemen hostage in hideouts in Arsal's outskirts that they kidnapped during deadly clashes with the Army in Arsal.
