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Hezbollah (Lebanon): Difference between revisions
→Presence in Syria against ISIS
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Furthermore, in 2008, following the conclusion of the 33-day war, Hezbollah engaged in negotiations with Israel, facilitated by German intermediaries, to address the issue of remaining Lebanese prisoners. Through these negotiations, Hezbollah successfully secured the release of the remaining Lebanese prisoners held by Israel. In addition, Hezbollah also obtained the bodies of its martyred resistance fighters who had lost their lives during the 33-day war. Furthermore, as part of the agreement, the bodies of other Lebanese and Palestinian martyrs were returned, including Dalal Maghrabi and the 12 members of her group. | Furthermore, in 2008, following the conclusion of the 33-day war, Hezbollah engaged in negotiations with Israel, facilitated by German intermediaries, to address the issue of remaining Lebanese prisoners. Through these negotiations, Hezbollah successfully secured the release of the remaining Lebanese prisoners held by Israel. In addition, Hezbollah also obtained the bodies of its martyred resistance fighters who had lost their lives during the 33-day war. Furthermore, as part of the agreement, the bodies of other Lebanese and Palestinian martyrs were returned, including Dalal Maghrabi and the 12 members of her group. | ||
==Presence in Syria | ==Presence in Syria on Combating ISIS== | ||
Hezbollah collaborated with the Syrian government in its efforts to combat the terrorist group [[ISIS]]. Following the outbreak of unrest in Syria, Hezbollah actively engaged in fighting alongside the Syrian army against the excommunicationist ISIS militants. One significant achievement for Hezbollah in Syria was its liberation of al-Qusayr. | Hezbollah collaborated with the Syrian government in its efforts to combat the terrorist group [[ISIS]]. Following the outbreak of unrest in Syria, Hezbollah actively engaged in fighting alongside the Syrian army against the excommunicationist ISIS militants. One significant achievement for Hezbollah in Syria was its liberation of al-Qusayr. | ||
Initially, there was relatively little confrontation between Hezbollah and the | Initially, there was relatively little confrontation between Hezbollah and the ISIS militants. Hezbollah tended to operate mainly in western Syria, while ISIS resided in the more lightly populated east. This all changed when ISIS took the war to Hezbollah on November 12, 2014, by deploying a pair of suicide bombers against the Burj al-Barajneh district of southern [[Beirut]], a mixed but largely Shia neighborhood where Hezbollah has a strong presence. The attack killed and wounded scores of civilians. Eager to punish Hezbollah for its Syrian intervention, ISIS promised "the Party of Satan" much more of the same.<ref>[https://www.refworld.org/docid/56a7924c4.html Unwanted Ally: Hezbollah's War Against the Islamic State]</ref> | ||
Hezbollah's war aims against ISIS are both declared - protecting Shia shrines in Syria - and undeclared, the latter including keeping supply lines from [[Iran]] open, preserving the Syrian government, and keeping Sunni extremists (al-Nusra Front) from entering Lebanon. Sayed Hasan Nasrallah claims Zionists and Sunni extremists have the same goal of "destroying our peoples and our societies". As a political party with a strong social welfare arm, Hezbollah's leaders have deftly created a political alliance with Maronite Christian factions, secular Druze, and even Shia of the Amal Movement. Lebanese sources indicate that Hezbollah began recruiting Christians, Druze, and Sunnis for the fight against ISIS in late 2014. According to Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah: "This danger does not recognize Shiites, Sunnis, Muslims, Christians or Druze or Yazidis or Arabs or Kurds".<ref>Jews are notably absent from the Hezbollah leader's list of ethnicities under threat, as Hezbollah considers Israel's Jews to be in league with Islamic State terrorists.</ref> The reluctance of ISIS to strike Israel only reinforces Hezbollah's belief that there is cooperation between Israel and the Sunni extremists. | |||
Finally, Hezbollah and [[Syria|Syrian]] government forces succeeded in driving rebel forces from their last positions in the Qalamun region alongside the border with Lebanon after nearly two years of fighting. ISIS and al-Nusra fighters had used the region for attacks within Lebanon. Since then, Hezbollah has intensified its war against ISIS and Assad's other enemies in coordination with Russian airstrikes.<ref>[https://www.refworld.org/docid/56a7924c4.html Unwanted Ally: Hezbollah's War Against the ISIS]</ref> | |||
==Political Activities== | ==Political Activities== | ||