Islamic State militants in Qalamoun on the Syrian-Lebanese border are seeking control of nearby Lebanese villages to support their fighting positions, Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim said, Reuters reported.
The head of Lebanon’s security apparatus also said Lebanese forces were on high alert to prevent the militants, now the dominant armed force in Qalamoun with about 1,000 fighters, from seizing any Lebanese territory. The announcement comes as the Islamic State and other rebel groups continue to fight the Syrian government in Qalamoun, though a significant expansion into Lebanon is unlikely.