In response to the statements made by a number of Iraqi officials and politicians on the Qalamoun negotiation deal, Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah issued on Wednesday a statement to clarify all the aspects of this file.
Sayyed Nasrallah addressed the Iraqi officials and public, stressing that:
1. The deal stipulated moving a number of ISIL militants and their families from one Syrian area (western Qalmoun) to another (Deir Ezour), not from a Lebanese region to an Iraqi one. Moreover, most of the militants remaining in western Qalamoun were Syrians; only very few of them remained within the Lebanese territory.
2. The number of ISIL militants moved to Deir Ezour is not large, and 310 of the defeated militants would not change the battlefield formula in Deir Ezour where there are Dozens of thousands of terrorist gunmen.
3. The area where ISIL terrorists were moved to is Syria’s Badiya front where the Syrian army and allies are fighting the takfiri group, and Hezbollah has been leading the attack against the militant gunmen. In other words, ISIL terrorists were moved from an area where Hezbollah is fighting to an area where the Resistance party is fighting too.
4. Lebanon had a humanitarian cause which is unveiling the fate of the servicemen kidnapped by ISIL several years ago. All Lebanese consensually demanded that they get released whether they were alive or martyred. Moreover, the negotiation was the only way to settle this issue as the terrorists rejected to unveil the kidnapped servicemen’s destiny. So, the comprehensive settlement of the confrontation via the military means was easy and possible, but it would have wiped up the humanitarian cause of the kidnapped servicemen.
5. Hezbollah has been fighting along with the Syrian army the terrorist groups in a lot of Syria’s provinces and fronts, and the Syrian army has been destroying the capabilities of the terrorist groups and has not followed the containing strategy at all. We all aim at defeating the takfiri groups, but every battle has its leadership that can most identify the tactics needed to achieve the victory.
6. Hezbollah has not ever dawdled fighting ISIL in all the fields where needed, and it is not the Resistance party who may be questioned for its intention, background and courage, especially in this battle.
Also, it is inappropriate to cast doubts on the Syrian leadership whose army is fighting ISIL terrorists in eastern Hama, Homs, southern Raqqa, western Deir Ezour and Badiya, sacrificing scores of martyrs.
7. Hezbollah deems as honorable the participation of the Iraqi mujahidin in fighting the terrorist groups in Syria as they immediately joined the anti-terrorist war after it had started for they were brightly insightful where others were questioning the validity of the confrontation. Hezbollah and the Iraqi fighters fought shoulder to shoulder and shared sacrifices in a lot of battles.
Hezbollah is proud of the Iraqi fighters who are still fighting the terrorists for the sake of the Umma and the sanctities.
Finally, Sayyed Nasrallah congratulated all the Iraqis on Mosul and Tal Afar victories in achieved by the army and the popular mobilization forces.
“We have a joint battle and destiny, and our victory over the takfiri terrorists will be historical. Moreover, our fraternity can never be shaken up,” Sayyed Nasrallah addressed the Iraqis.
Source: Al-Manar Website
