Hezbollah Chief Salutes Fighters after Arsal Victory, Warns ISIS

Sayyed Nasrallah made the remarks during a televised speech Friday night on the occasion of the swift defeat of al-Qaeda affiliated al-Nusra Front Takfiri terrorists at in Arsal town on the border with Syria.
 
“I congratulate everyone on this major victory,” especially fighters who made it possible, Nasrallah said.
 
He said the fighters were backed by the Syrian army. Sayyed Nasrallah also thanked Iran for its advisory support in the battle for Arsal.
 
The Hezbollah leader said the fighters were backed by the Syrian army, adding that the next phase of the battle will take on the ISIS Takfiri group in the border areas between Lebanon and Syria.
 
ISIS terrorists must surrender or face defeat
 
Sending a clear warning to ISIS, the Hezbollah chief said that "for the first time" there is "national consensus" among the Lebanese nation that the terrorists' annihilation is "imminent."
 
"You’ll lose this battle, you’ll be defeated," he stated, adding that "the timing of this battle is in the hands of the Lebanese army."
 
"Hezbollah would be in the service of the Lebanese army and we will help him in this battle," Sayyed Nasrallah added. The Hezbollah leader said here was still time for ISIS to negotiate surrender before the Lebanese Army launches an offensive against the group near Ras Baalbeck, with Hezbollah and the Syrian army attacking from the Syrian side of the border.
 
ISIS currently holds territory on both the Syrian and Lebanese side of the border. Sayyed Nasrallah explained that ISIS controls a wide area of approximately 296 square kilometers out of which 141 km2 in are in Lebanon and 155 km2 in Syria.
 
Syrian role
 
The Hezbollah chief hailed the role Damascus played in negotiations with terrorists and thanked the Syrian leadership for its efforts that helped strike the deal and release captives. Nasrallah said the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) played no role in the Arsal operation.
 
He also underlined that “all liberated areas” would be handed over to the Lebanese army.
 
Hezbollah fighters and the Syrian army recently launched an offensive to drive out militants from their last stronghold in the border area between Lebanon and Syria.
 
Al-Nusra Front terrorists, now known as Fateh al-Sham, withdrew following a series of consecutive defeats that forced them to agree to a ceasefire.