BEIRUT, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Lebanese Army commander General Joseph Aoun announced Saturday the start of an offensive against the Islamic State (IS) group close to the Syrian border in the east of the country, where the jihadists have been entrenched for several years.
"In the name of Lebanon, in the name of kidnapped Lebanese soldiers, in the name of martyrs of the army, I announce that operation 'Dawn of Outskirts' has started," Aoun said.
Lebanon's President Michel Aoun who arrived at the Army Operations Center at Yarze contacted the commander of the front in the outskirts of al-Qaa and Ras Baalbek and said: "we are looking forward to victory."
The National News Agency said that the army seized control of Tallet al-Mkhayrmeh in Ras Baalbek, and pounded the IS posts in al-Qaa inflicting casualties among the militants' ranks.
Saturday's announcement came at the same time as Hezbollah and the Syrian army announced a similar offensive to clear IS militants from the Syrian side of the border, in the western Qalamoun mountain range.
Head of the army Directorate of Orientation Brigadier General Ali Kanso held a press conference at the army headquarters in Yarze where he gave a briefing to the press about the operations of the army against IS.
He said that the operation that has been launched at dawn Saturday will end "with a clear victory against IS and the liberation of all the Lebanese grounds occupied by the terrorist organization."
Kanso denied any coordination with Hezbollah or the Syrian Army.
