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         Sunni Militant Commander in Syria Threatens Lebanese Shi'ites

   by VOA News

   A Sunni militant commander in Syria who has pledged allegiance to the
   Islamic State group has threatened to retaliate against Lebanese
   Shi'ites due to the arrest of his wife and children in Lebanon.

   In a video statement, Abu Ali al-Shishani said Shi'ite women and
   children will be legitimate targets for his militants.

   Shishani is flanked by two masked gunmen in the video, which could not
   be independently verified as authentic.  His real name is Anas Sharkas,
   according to Lebanese authorities.

   His threat underscores how Lebanon is increasingly being pulled into
   the battle with the Islamic State group, which has captured much of
   Syria and Iraq.  Lebanon has its own Sunni-Shi'ite tensions and
   divisions involving Syria's civil war.

   Lebanese authorities announced the arrest of Shishani's family members
   earlier this week, soon after they announced they were holding a wife
   and child of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.  Iraqi
   officials later denied a woman detained in Lebanon is al-Baghdadi's
   wife, saying she is actually the sister of an imprisoned terror
   suspect.

   The Pentagon said that U.S. officials believe the woman is "a former
   wife" of al-Baghdadi.

   Lebanon is currently negotiating the release of about 20 soldiers and
   police held hostage by jihadists in Syria.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/syrian-sunni-militant-commander-threa
   tens-lebanese-shiites/2547321.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/syrian-sunni-militant-commander-threatens-lebanese-shiites/2547321.html