Eight gunmen were killed and 41 others arrested in raids by the Lebanese army in the town of Hammoudieh in eastern Lebanon over the possession of drugs and arms.
Military sources described the operation as “very important and unique.”
The sources told Asahrq Al-Awsat on Monday that Ali Ismail, who is wanted for drug dealing, was killed in the operation, describing him as “one of the most dangerous wanted men and the biggest drug dealer in the country.”
The National News Agency reported that a wanted Syrian, who threatened to blow himself up to avoid arrest, was shot dead by an army unit that had been surrounding the suspected drug dealer and his gunmen in the town of Hammoudieh – Brital.
The Syrian was identified as Hussein Ali Matar, also known as Jamal the Syrian.
He worked Ismail’s bodyguard.
"An army unit is raiding the house of Ali Zaid Ismail, wanted for drug dealing charges, in the Brital town of Hammoudieh, alongside armed groups linked to him,” said an army communique.
Sources said that several military units were used in the operation, including air forces.
Military choppers were seen flying over Hammoudieh, amid intensive patrols and other land reinforcements.
“The wanted man and his team had fired in the direction of army personnel, while Ismail tried to escape the town,” the sources said.
They revealed that the military had prepared for this operation for quite some time by monitoring and tracking the armed men and to avoid targeting civilians at the residential compound where the drug dealers had stayed.
