BEIRUT
A new video that appeared on Friday purported to show the beheading of a Lebanese soldier – captured earlier this month – by the so-called "Islamic State" (IS), a militant group that recently overran large swathes of both Iraq and Syria.
The Lebanese soldier shown in the 1.5-minute video is blindfolded and barefoot. Five IS militants wielding machine guns can be seen standing behind him.
At one point, one of the militants reads a written statement:
"We have asked the crusading Lebanese army not to obey the orders of Hezbollah before," he says. "If you [the Lebanese army] continue to torture Sunnis, your other soldiers will meet the same fate as this one."
Earlier this month, fierce clashes erupted between the Lebanese army and IS militants in Arsal, a Lebanese town on the Syrian border. At least 17 Lebanese troops were killed in the violence and a number captured.
On Tuesday, IS threatened to begin killing one captured Lebanese soldier every three days if Hezbollah wasn't excluded from prisoner-exchange talks between it and the Lebanese government.
The group went on to accuse Hezbollah of obstructing the ongoing negotiations.
The violence in Arsal broke out after gunmen – said to be IS militants – attacked security and army sites in the town. They also abducted a number of residents and Lebanese troops in retaliation for the recent arrest of a rebel leader.
The recent violence has largely destroyed several camps that cater to thousands of Syrian refugees, prompting many of the latter to flee.
Along with the influx of hundreds of thousands of refugees, Lebanon has been hard hit by the conflict in neighboring Syria.
The country has also witnessed a recent surge in militant attacks in response to Hezbollah's role in the Syria conflict, where the Shiite militant group continues to fight alongside Syrian regime troops.
Friday's video purported to show an IS militant beheading the captive soldier, who wore standard-issue army trousers, while those standing behind him shouted "Allahu Akbar" ("God is great").
Anadolu Agency could not independently verify the veracity of the video, while the Lebanese government has yet to comment on it.
By Gad Yateem
englishnews@aa.com.tr
www.aa.com.tr/en
