Losses mount in Lebanon for Islamic Jihad’s Syrian branch

On Jun. 15, Islamic Jihad’s branch in Syria, The Martyr Ali al-Aswad Brigade, published a statement mourning the death of a fighter killed in southern Lebanon.

“One of the heroes of The Martyr Ali Al-Aswad Brigade – Syrian Square. He [Muhammed Jalbout] ascended on the borders of occupied Palestine in southern Lebanon as part of the al-Aqsa Flood battle while performing his combat duty,” stated Islamic Jihad.

The statement does not specify the circumstances surrounding Jalbout’s death, but it does note that he lost his life during the al-Aqsa Flood campaign, which suggests that an Israeli airstrike was responsible for his demise.

The killing of Jalbout brings the total death toll of Syrian Islamic Jihad fighters operating in Lebanon to eighteen, according to the latest tally from FDD’s Long War Journal. The Lebanese-based members of Islamic Jihad have also suffered losses in southern Lebanon, with fatalities also reported among fighters from other terrorist groups, including Hamas, Hezbollah, the Islamic Group, the Amal Movement, and the Syria-based Imam Hossein Brigades.

Read more: Long War Journal