The Lebanese Perspectives of Qusayr

Ghassan Jawad - Al-Joumhouria newspaper*

All givens indicated the battle was nearing. Almost a month ago, Syrian troops have tightened the grip around Qusayr, after they have purged villages from gunmen. Hizbullah, for its part, has accomplished the mission.

Villages of Qusayr countryside, west Orontes River, are all under control. The decision has been taken to tighten the siege, cut off the Lebanese and Syrian supply channels, and hit the enemy in its weaknesses. He who knew well the military and strategic importance of the city realized that the battle to liberate Qusayr from the armed groups was looming.
The battle was not set over the weekend. What happened is that the elite troops were carrying out what in military terms is called "reconnaissance with fire," whereby groups swiftly entered from many fronts, driving gunmen to retreat. The "first attack" was then decided to continue. It lasted for four hours. Troops managed to take over 70% of the small city.
Sources say that the sudden and abrupt attack confused al-Nusra fighters and the multinational gunmen. Some of them fled towards the north, where fights are still ignited. Others handed themselves to the Syrian Arab Army. Others were killed on the battlefield.

Some information said SAA was detaining key Arab and foreign elements. Unconfirmed news reported "foreign" soldiers were captured.
Moreover, well trained Chechen elements are claimed to be partaking in the battles in Qusayr. They have already led fierce battles against the Russian army in Grozni, after the West intelligence services had trained them professionally as they prepared for the war in Chechen. These groups proved high efficiency on the ground in Qusayr battles.

They are mainly specialized in booby-trapping and sniping operations. Information also mentioned that most of the martyrs from the SAA and Hizbullah have fallen in mined lands. Others were sniped.
This made taking over the liberated areas a more difficult task and left gunmen in the eastern prefecture to sigh in relief, with Arab satellite channels spreading news of the steadfastness of the "Free Army" in Qusayr. But the truth is that the troops were preoccupied for some time until most of gunmen withdrew to the north.

The battle was not easy. It was not a piece of cake. Qusayr is en route to be retaken by the regime troops, as informed sources say. The region's geographic nature, the number of forces, the reinforcements, tunnels, and trenches gunmen have built made the battle even harder. This may justify the toll of martyrs, likely to rise until the battle ends.

Nonetheless, the number of victims and casualties in media outlets is not accurate, noting that any military expert would say the revealed numbers are relatively small, considering the enormity of the battle and the vital importance of the city.

There is a clear Lebanese "facet" of Qusayr's battle. The two Lebanese parties at loggerheads, disagreeing on the Syrian issue, look at the city from a strategic angle. The pro opposition party sees Qusayr's downfall a loss of an advanced basis on the ground and of a key supply and armament connection through Lebanon, via Arsal and the northern frontiers.

For its part, Hizbullah sees that keeping Qusayr in the hands of gunmen as a cut-off of one of the "resistance and supply" ways. Information say that Hizbullah has changed the ways and means of armament after the crisis in Syria. It is building on this perspective that the party has entered the direct confrontation in Qusayr.

Besides, the conflagration of Bab-el-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen front is just evidence on the "Lebanese perspectives" of Qusayr's battle. According to the information, Hizbullah has stepped up readiness since the battle started, as it feared a "vengeful" reaction in some of its strongholds.

The party is still notifying whoever is concerned that it is not willing to transfer the crisis to Lebanon and that it is adamant to retaliate vehemently if it is ever attacked on the internal scene. The message has been probably gotten...At least, this is what the current reactions on the Lebanese domestic scene show today.

*translated by english.alahednews