The United States military has vowed to 'take action' as it strongly condemned the Lebanese Army for coordinating with Hezbollah and the Syrian government in arranging Safe Passage for hundreds of ISIS soldiers and their families across the Syrian border.
The convoy was believed to be en route to Deir al-Zour Province in eastern Syria from Lebanon on Wednesday morning. "We will take action where necessary; those would be absolutely lucrative targets," said Col. Ryan Dillon, spokesman for the America led military coalition in Iraq and Syria, according to the New York Times.
"We are monitoring them in real time."
The Lebanese army that played a largely neutral role in the Syrian crisis, joined hands with Hezbollah and the Syrian government earlier this week to launch a counter-offensive against the so called Islamic State. The coalition liberated vast swathes of land previously under the Islamic State's control. The group then independently declared a ceasefire with the terrorist organisation.
Search for missing soldiers
This was achieved after the IS promised to help the Lebanese army find its missing soldiers. Nine soldiers were taken as prisoners by the IS from northeastern Lebanon back in 2014.
Hezbollah, a Lebanon based militant group that has been declared as a terrorist organisation by the United States, working in conjunction with the Lebanese and Syrian armies, arranged safe passage for around 600 IS fighters and their relatives who were loaded in buses and ambulances and taken from Arsal, a Lebanese border town, to Bukamal, an IS stronghold in the Deir al-Zour province close to the Iraqi border.
Col. Dillon has condemned this coalition by claiming that this arrangement strongly undermines the effort put into combating terrorism in the region. "Their claim of fighting terrorism rings hollow when they allow known terrorists to transit territory under their control. ISIS is a global threat, and relocating terrorists from one place to another is not a lasting solution," he said.
Airstrike still possible
According to statements released by Hezbollah officials in Lebanon, the convoy consists of 17 buses and 11 ambulances. At least 25 IS militants are wounded according to the report. Col. Dillon maintained that airstrike against the convoy remains a possibility and has not taken place because officials are still trying to verify if there are any civilians accompanying the IS soldiers.
It is believed that the families and relatives of the terrorists are also present in the convoy.
"We can discriminate between civilians and ISIS fighters - we will strike when we can. If we are able to do so, we will," said Col. Dillon.
The American embassy in Beirut has not commented on the issue that appears to be rapidly escalating.
