With Beirut secured, Hezbollah now fighting to take the Chouf mountains

http://www.naharnet.com/domino/tn/NewsDesk.nsf/getstory?openform&5DB6B0C4B37CA5F4C2257446005FD02E

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As the fighting raged in the mountain region, black smoke could be seen billowing from Druze villages.

Pro-government supporters of Druze leader Walid Jumblat and opposition gunmen exchanged rockets and machine gun fire, security officials said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

The violence spread to the nearby towns of Kayfoun, Qamatiyeh, Bchamoun, Aytat, Shweifat, Baysour, Ras el-Jabal, they said.

The clashes came a day after Hizbullah accused Jumblat's followers of killing two of its supporters and kidnapping a third.

The Aley region is predominantly Druze and Maronite Christians. However, two villages in the area are dominated by Shiites, many of them Hizbullah supporters.

Jumblat called on his top Druze opponent to mediate a cease-fire and hand over the mountain region to Lebanese troops.

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Apparently Hezbollah have taken much heavier losses in the mountains than in Beirut, where apparently for every dead HA member there were at least 5 dead government supporters. Still, from what I can tell the PSP (the main Druze militia) are taking a hammering. It looks like at the very least they will be required to give up their weapons to the Army. Perhaps HA will keep fighting to secure the area, although they are probably mindful that they are starting to overstretch themselves and that opposition amongst Christians and Druze is starting to galvanise.

Strategically, the territory would be very significant for Hezballah in the case of any future war with Israel.

?

out to destroy the middle east completely.

They are well on their way.