The Lebanese army will respond firmly to any attack

The Lebanese army chief assured that the military will respond with force to any attack, in an interview published Monday, three days after the death of two soldiers in a clash with Islamists in the country.

On Monday, an AFP photographer saw significant reinforcements paratroopers heading to the Bekaa Valley in the east of the country took place on ambush.

We will cut the hand of anyone who assaults the army and we are pursuing the attackers wherever they are and whatever party they belong to, said General Jean Kahwaji daily As-Safir.

Sunday, he told the soldiers that the attack against an army patrol in the region of Arsal, in the east of the country near the Syrian border was premeditated and (two victims) were killed in a barbaric. The methods used are contrary to our Christian and Muslim religions.

Friday, two Lebanese soldiers, including a captain, were killed in a clash with armed men. According to officials of the Lebanese security services, the attackers were Islamist radicals.

An elected local AFP Pierre and Bashalani Zahrman Ibrahim had been killed with hatchets and their bodies mutilated, adding they were likely tortured.

The army has since launched a hunt to find the culprits.

General Kahwaji Sunday congratulated the army had to block plans to involve the country in the regional chaos.

Lebanon suffered the blow-cons of the war ravaging his neighbor and killed 60,000 people since March 2011, according to the UN.

The north and east of the country has been the scene of clashes and bombings while the Syrian regime has asked officials to better control the Lebanese border to prevent the smuggling of weapons and fighters crossing.

According to As-Safir, ambush Friday is an indicator of the risk posed by the cells (Islamists) that are formed with the Syrian crisis.

The country is deeply divided Cedar on the Syrian conflict erupted in 2011. Shia Hezbollah and their Christian allies support the regime of Bashar al-Assad, while the Sunnis who are at the head of the Future Movement supports the rebels.