Army Arrests Brother of Defected Soldier

The army raided on Thursday the Khirbet Daoud residence of the family of Atef Saadeddine, the soldier who defected from the military in July, reported al-Jadeed television.

It arrested Khaled, the soldier's brother, without disclosing the charges behind the detention.

The development sparked anger among the residents of the Akkar town.

Atef Saadeddine had announced his defection in a video aired on July 23, saying that he was going to join armed groups fighting in the outskirts of the Syrian region of al-Qalamoun.

On July 29, Atef's family was informed that he was wounded in battles in Syria while fighting along the al-Nusra Front.

The soldier had announced his defection because he viewed the army as being a Hizbullah pawn.