24 points clarifying what is happening in the Lebanese town of Arsal and our duty towards it. Personal Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/EyadQunaibi
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Praise be to God and peace and blessings upon the Messenger of God. What is happening in Arsal?
Arsal in Lebanon is the only place where fighters from Qalamoun in Syria can breathe. It hosts 14,000 displaced people from Syria, including families of fighters, their wives, and children. Fighters from various factions used to enter Arsal to visit their families and then leave without interference from the Lebanese army.
The leader "Imad Jomaa," a commander of the Islamic Dawn Brigade who joined the Islamic State group, was one of these fighters who visited his family in Arsal.
Some factions like Jabhat al-Nusra, Ahrar al-Sham, Islamic Dawn pledged to the Islamic State, Jaish al-Islam, and the Strangers had achieved victories in Qalamoun in recent days. It seems that this provoked "Halas" (referred to as Hezbollah), who wanted to reduce their depletion in Qalamoun by engaging the Sunni fighters in a problem in Arsal. They succeeded in using the Lebanese army as a tool; the army arrested Imad Jomaa.
Imad Jomaa's group reacted, entered Arsal, and demanded their leader. They gave the Lebanese army a deadline, which was not met, so they attacked the army's checkpoints, took control of some, and arrested several Lebanese soldiers. At this point, Jabhat al-Nusra and factions from the Free Syrian Army entered to defend their families in anticipation of retaliation from the Lebanese army and aggression from "Halas."
The emir of al-Nusra in Qalamoun demanded guarantees from mediators to protect the civilians in Arsal and confirmed that he would withdraw from the town if this was ensured. Several truces were agreed upon, but both the Lebanese army and what is called "Halas" (Hezbollah) violated them instead of showing goodwill and the desire to stop the conflict.
In one of the massacres, the Lebanese army and "Halas" shelled the refugee camps, killing 35 women and children by burning, on Monday evening. May God suffice us and He is the best disposer of affairs. The shelling does not differentiate between Lebanese Sunni civilians and Syrian refugees; everyone is targeted.
Sunni activities intensified, and a delegation from the "Assembly of Muslim Scholars" in Lebanon and human rights organizations went to Arsal to negotiate a truce. However, the army and "Halas" attacked the delegation; Sheikh Salem al-Rifa'i, Dr. Nabil al-Halabi, Sheikh Jalal Kalash, and activist Ahmad al-Qasir were injured.
The Lebanese army and the "Halas" militia do not allow Syrian refugees to leave Arsal. Whenever they try to leave, they are met with direct gunfire. The fighters who entered the town are trapped; the army uses their presence as an excuse to continue the brutal shelling. If they withdraw, they are not safe from retaliatory massacres by "Halas" and the Lebanese army against their families.
The Lebanese media distorts facts; it exonerates the army and blames all the fighting factions. The Lebanese army did not show any support or make any noise when the Zionist entity attacked Lebanon, but it acts fiercely in such situations against the weak.
Saudi Arabia is the main supporter of the Lebanese army. Today, Wednesday, Saudi newspapers, including Okaz, Al-Watan, and Al-Madina, published news that the King of Saudi Arabia donated one billion dollars to the Lebanese army and Lebanese security agencies to combat terrorism, as they claim. And here is the "war on terrorism" bearing its fruit by killing and burning women and children in their camps. God is our helper.
Some Lebanese Sunni figures took a very bad position due to their reverence for the Lebanese army, or showing national loyalty, or being deceived by the media, and called for supporting the Lebanese army.
On the other hand, "Sheikh Dawa' al-Islam al-Shahal," the founder of the Salafi current in Tripoli, issued a fatwa prohibiting fighting in the ranks of the Lebanese army. Sheikh "Ahmad al-Asir" considered what is happening in Arsal a Safavid attack by the army and "Halas" on the Sunni people. Also, the Sunni people in Tripoli took to the streets protesting against the aggression on the Sunni people in Arsal.
The media activist "Hadi al-Abdullah" reports details of what is happening in Arsal through his contacts and insight into the situation, as he is currently in Qalamoun. We advise following him on Twitter and Facebook.
Those who are Sunni in Lebanon and defend the army, whether out of trust in it, being deceived by the media, or showing national loyalty without knowing the clips, testimonies, and interviews that reveal the truth of the events and that it is a massacre against the Sunni people; these defenders are participants in the crime, as they discourage the Sunni people in Lebanon from supporting their brothers and standing up to the army and "Halas." May they fear God and know that the word is a trust, lest they participate in the bloodshed, and it is the duty of the informed Sunni people in Lebanon to raise awareness among these deceived individuals.
Similarly, if the people and scholars of the Two Holy Mosques become active in clarifying the truth of what is happening and the Saudi role in supporting the army, and that supporting the Lebanese army is participation in massacres against the Sunni people, it is hoped that this pressure will lead to easing the suffering of our people in Arsal.
Popular pressure during the war on Gaza had an impact in non-Islamic countries; they expelled Jewish ambassadors, Spain froze an arms deal with the Zionist entity, and the entity's economy was greatly affected. Is it reasonable for us Muslims to be complacent about supporting our brothers, even through media pressure?
Finally, it is unfortunate that some of us are preoccupied with blaming this or that fighting faction for starting the problem and dragging the Lebanese army into the battle. Regardless of how the events began, we are now facing a reality of women and children being shelled and burned, and the Sunni fighting factions are ready to stop fighting if guarantees are provided that their families will not be attacked. Meanwhile, the Lebanese army violates truces and attacks mediators, and "Halas" is settling scores with the weak Sunni people.
This is not the time to blame specific factions, regardless of our stance towards them, and we must beware of discouraging the support of our oppressed brothers. May God ease the suffering of our people and restrain the hands of criminals from them.
Peace be upon you and the mercy of God.