The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria is reportedly looking to expand its territory into several parts of Lebanon.
According to Lebanese newspaper The Daily Star, its sources within Lebanese security forces said that the jihadist leadership has drawn up plans for establishing a new base in Lebanon that will allegedly serve as a geographical extension to the Islamic State that was declared over ISIS-controlled territories by ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in June last year.
The Islamic State leadership has also reportedly drawn up military and administrative plans for its Lebanese base, but could not yet agree on who the overall military commander for this expansion will be. The sources said rumours of Ahmad al-Assir leading an Islamic State force in an invasion of Lebanon were not true.
Ahmad al-Assir is a radical Sunni cleric known for his criticisms of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Hezbollah.
However, the sources told the Daily Star that Khalaf al-Zeyabi Halous, also known as "Abu Musaab Halous," is spearheading the organisation of the military forces that will be tasked with annexing Lebanese territory into al-Baghdadi's Islamic State.
Halous is the ISIS commander credited with the Islamic State's successful capture of Raqqa province in Iraq in 2013.
The Daily Star's sources revealed that Halous was seen in Qalamoun on the border with Syria and Lebanon, where he reportedly met with Islamic State commanders in the area to discuss the formation of military forces for the planned excursion into Lebanon.
The Islamic State had recently gained a foothold in Qalamoun when Syrian rebel factions in the area joined ranks with the IS fighters, as reported by the Business Insider in January.
Despite the extensive preparations, the sources said that the ISIS leadership and its sponsors are yet to green light the proposed military expansion.
