Listen to the article
Joroud Arsal and Ras Baalbek are now free of all remnants of war, Army Commander General Joseph Aoun announced on Friday during a ceremony in Ras Baalbek.
The ceremony was held to celebrate the clearing of explosives from both areas. It was attended by United States Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea, Ambassador of Japan Magoshi Masayuki, Ambassador of the Netherlands Hans Peter van der Woude and Ambassador of South Korea Park Il.
Also in attendance were Governor of the Bekaa Bashir Khodor, Director of Programmes at the Mines Advisory Group (MAG) Greg Crowther and Head of the Lebanese Mine Action Center Brigadier General Jihad al-Bashalani, as well as representatives from donor countries and international and national organizations working in the field of mine clearance.
General Aoun emphasized that the Army has shown its commitment to the residents of Arsal, Ras Baalbek and the Bekaa by clearing their lands of any remnants of war after having liberated them from terrorist organizations in the Fajr al-Joroud battle. He reaffirmed the military institution’s dedication to clearing the remaining Lebanese territories of such explosives.
“The support of friendly nations and non-governmental organizations in their various capacities has significantly helped us accomplish this mission. Thanks to this support, the Army was able to begin the process of clearing Joroud Arsal, Ras Baalbek and the Bekaa from explosive devices immediately after having liberated these areas from terrorists,” General Aoun said in his speech.
“This facilitated the establishment of military centers along the borders and connected these centers with a wide network of roads that were put at the disposal of local residents for easy and safe access to their lands,” he added.
General Aoun stressed that the military forces are making tremendous efforts to protect the Lebanese borders, prevent smuggling operations and curb illegal displacement.
“They face various rumors and accusations of negligence, but the daily realities prove the tremendous efforts made by units deployed on the ground. I invite all skeptics to visit the borders and witness firsthand the situation, which doesn’t bode well,” he stated.
“Let them stop speculating and making baseless accusations and support the Army, which has been, and will remain, Lebanon’s safety valve, never deviating from its duty and responsibilities,” General Aoun asserted.
The Director of MAG Programmes also affirmed the continued cooperation with the Lebanese Army to eliminate the threat of war remnants from various Lebanese territories, commending the commitment, courage, dedication and professionalism of the Army.
In addition, Ambassadors Shea, Masayuki, and van der Woude emphasized their countries’ continued support for Lebanon during these challenging times, particularly as concerns the clearing of land contaminated with mines and war remnants and assisting mine victims in their recovery.
According to a statement issued earlier by the US Embassy, the United States has provided more than $5.9 million in assistance to the Mines Advisory Group (MAG) to clear improvised explosive devices and mines left behind when the Lebanese Army successfully pushed the terrorist groups out of Arsal.
