Security officials in Lebanon say Lebanese military forces have killed a leader of Islamic State (IS) militants during an army operation in the country’s mountainous border region with Syria.
The IS leader in the border region was named by security officials and Lebanon’s National News Agency as Nayif al-Shaalaan.
State media said he also went by the name Abu Fawz.
Syria's war has exacerbated the rift between Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims in neighboring Lebanon.
Lebanon’s Hizballah – a Shi'ite militant group and political party -- has sent thousands of fighters into Syria to fight alongside President Bashar al-Assad’s forces.
But Lebanese Sunnis and Syrian Sunni refugees in Lebanon support Syrian rebel forces.
Since 2014, there has been a sharp increase in terrorist attacks in Lebanon claimed by IS militants.
