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Suicide Bombers Target Lebanese Soldiers, Kill Only Themselves


A convoy of Lebanese army soldiers drives at the entrance of the border town of Arsal, in eastern Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, June 30, 2017.
A convoy of Lebanese army soldiers drives at the entrance of the border town of Arsal, in eastern Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, June 30, 2017.

Suicide bombers targeted Lebanese soldiers conducting raids on refugee settlements along the Syria-Lebanon border Friday, wounding seven troops but killing only themselves, the military said.

According to the army statement, the soldiers were raiding a settlement in the border town of Arsal on Friday morning when the attacks took place.

There were five suicide bombers and another man, who threw a hand grenade at soldiers as they conducted manhunts in the refugee settlements.

FILE - A general view shows tents of Syrian refugees on the outskirts of the Lebanese town of Arsal, near the border with Syria, Lebanon, Sept. 21, 2016.
FILE - A general view shows tents of Syrian refugees on the outskirts of the Lebanese town of Arsal, near the border with Syria, Lebanon, Sept. 21, 2016.

One man blew himself up as soldiers raided the al-Nour refugee camp, wounding three soldiers. Four soldiers were wounded when one of the militants threw a grenade at them. The other four suicide bombers exploded themselves without causing harm to anyone else, the army said.

The refugee camps along the border near Arsal have served as a haven for militants coming from the battle in Syria.

The Lebanese army has been stepping up security along its border with Syria, as the country continues to struggle in a brutal civil war.

Local media reports said more than 100 people were arrested during the raid.

There have been several clashes in recent years between Lebanese forces and militants in the Arsal area. In 2014, 30 soldiers were abducted by Islamic State jihadists and taken back to Syria.

The jihadists executed four of those hostages and eventually released another 16 in exchange for Islamist prisoners held in Lebanon. One of the hostages died of wounds he suffered during the initial skirmish, while nine are still being held.

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