Fear mongering? Hezbollah terrorists (file)
Fear mongering? Hezbollah terrorists (file)Reuters

A senior official with Hezbollah declared on Monday that the group will not leave Syria, citing the threat of the “Islamic State” (IS) and other radical groups, reports the Lebanese-based Daily Star.

Speaking at a ceremony in the southern village of Aita Shaab, Nabil Qaouk, the deputy head of Hezbollah’s executive council, said, “There could never be a war of words between ISIS and us, but there is the field where we will defeat them. We will not engage in a war of statements or political disputes.”

“Day after day, it is becoming clear to Lebanon and the Arab, Muslim and international communities that there is a great need for Hezbollah to remain in Syria,” he declared.

“The current situation today imposes the need for Hezbollah to stay in Syria more than any other time,” added Qaouk, according to the Daily Star.

Referring to last month’s clashes between the Lebanese Army and fighters from IS and the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Al-Nusra Front, he said a battle with radical groups had been imposed on Lebanon, which was now in the eye of the storm.

Hezbollah has made no secret of the fact that it is heavily involved in the Syrian civil war, sending fighters to battle rebels alongside Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad’s troops.

The group has also expressed concerns over IS. Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah recently warned that the group is an “existential threat” menacing Lebanon and the whole region.

“The Lebanese need to be aware of this existential threat and the need to confront it,” Nasrallah said, adding, “We must find true, realistic and serious means to counter this threat.”