Armed Conflict 2nd half 2017

Similar to the first half of 2017, Sour district witnessed the highest intensity of Armed Conflict during the second half of the year with a total of 149 incidents. 97% of these incidents were related to Border Conflict with Israel and 94% were categorised as sea border violations from the Israeli Military. Lebanon has witnessed indeed an escalation of tensions with Israel with the latter recurrently launching threats and warnings against Lebanon and Hezbollah. Israel have been notably contesting Lebanon’s offshore energy exploration that is allegedly occurring on disputed maritime territory.

During the second half of 2017, Baalbeck district witnessed the second highest intensity of conflictivity in this dimension, with 70 incidents mainly related to the Border Conflicts with Syria. In fact, the strategic location of Baalbeck close to the Syrian borders has made it an operational area for militants belonging to either IS or Jabhat el-Sham (previously al-Nusra) who were notably using the outskirts of Arsal and Ras Baalbeck as a stronghold. Although the conflicts in this area have been ongoing since 2014, it is not until July 2017 that offensives against these groups were launched in order to seize back militants’ positions. In July, Hezbollah attacked Jabhat el-Sham (previously al-Nusra) positions in Arsal, while in August the operation against IS posts in Ras Baalbeck. Therefore, the intensity of conflictivity in the Armed Conflicts dimension in the caza could be mainly attributed to these two clashes.

Although the level of conflictivity significantly decreased in Saida compared to the first half of 2017, the district remained a hot-spot for Armed Conflicts, with most of them located in Ain el-Helweh. Socio-economic insecurity and continual tensions relevant to armed militant and political factions in Ain el-Helweh have perpetuated a volatile security environment. Therefore, conflict incidents in Ain el-Helweh have been on the rise since late 2014, with alternating periods of resurging violence and relative calm.Consequently, if the situation appears to me more steady within the camp in comparison to the first months of the year that witnessed an escalation of tensions, punctual Armed Conflicts were mapped during the last six months of 2017 mostly relevant to explosion, heavy artillery as well as military deployment (see the Geo-located mapping of conflicts to explore these incidents).