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QARA, Syria, Aug. 23-- The Lebanese Hezbollah group and Syrian army are dealing heavy blow to the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria's Qalamoun region near Lebanon to end the presence of the terror-designated group in the border region between both countries. Just a couple of weeks after dislodging the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front from the Fleita barrens in western Qalamoun region, Hezbollah and the Syrian army went on with a wide-scale offensive to eliminate IS from the Qara and Jarajir badlands in Qalamoun. Both battles took place on the Lebanese and Syrian sides of the borders, as such mountainous, rugged terrains between Lebanon and Syria are entwined with one another. The current battle against IS, however, is different than the previous one with al-Qaida-linked groups, as a deal was reached for the evacuation of Syrian Nusra Front militants from Lebanon toward rebel-held areas in Idlib province in northwestern Syria earlier this month. This time the IS militants will have no choice but to fight till the end or surrender, as there are no truces on the horizon akin to what happened with the Nusra militants. One soldier told Xinhua on condition of anonymity that IS militants will either die or surrender in Qalamoun. Another officer said ending IS presence in the border region is important for Syria and Lebanon. "The battle against IS in the barrens of Qara and Jarajir is part of the bigger battle against the terror group in Syria," he told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. | 
