Mansour Denies Syria Shelling Lebanese Border Areas
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour on Friday denied that the Syrian army had on Wednesday shelled Lebanese border areas, noting that it might have been “pursuing armed men.”
“There are no Syrian violations against Lebanese sovereignty, but rather military operations, and I don’t believe that the Syrian army is shelling Lebanese areas and the (Lebanese) army has not recorded any such incident,” Mansour told MTV.
A Lebanese security official and residents told Agence France Presse on Thursday that Syrian troops fired rocket propelled grenades into northern Lebanon during the night, sparking panic among the local population.
The security official said heavy machinegun fire followed by shelling erupted at around 9:00 pm (1900 GMT) from the Syrian side of the border, near the Lebanese village of Muqaybleh, prompting some residents to flee.
"The Syrian troops initially fired flares and then machineguns and rocket propelled grenades," the official, who requested anonymity, told AFP.
He said at least two rockets fell inside Lebanese territory.
Mansour recalled that “armed (Syrian) elements had been arrested by security authorities after infiltrating Lebanese territory,” rejecting accusations depicting him as a spokesman for the Syrian regime in Lebanon.
“Human Rights Watch has said that the (Syrian) opposition is violating human rightsm,” Mansour added.
HRW on Tuesday said Syria's armed opposition has been carrying out serious human rights abuses, including the kidnapping, torture and execution of security force members and government supporters.
Mansour stressed that the Syrian regime “is not committing crimes, but rather hitting back at the armed men.”
He noted that Lebanon was not against providing humanitarian aid to Syrians fleeing the violence in their country, but added that “we reject (humanitarian) corridors.”
And he denied that Lebanese authorities have been “arbitrarily arresting refugees.”
Thousands of Syrians have fled to Lebanon since a revolt against the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad broke out in March last year.
Syria has mined several regions along the porous border to prevent the smuggling of weapons and infiltration of rebel fighters, activists say.
The Lebanese government, which is largely controlled by Hizbullah, an ally of Damascus, has avoided taking a stand on the crisis in Syria, fearing a spillover.
Army chief General Jean Qahwaji visited the border area in northern and eastern Lebanon on Wednesday, before the shooting broke out, to review the troops and evaluate the situation on the ground.
His office said Qahwaji discussed "measures taken to secure the border and protect residents."
At least three people have been killed since October and several have been wounded when Syrian troops staging incursions into Lebanon opened fire on border villages.
Lebanon and Syria share a 330-kilometer border but have yet to agree on official demarcation.
23 March 2012, 23:04
01
Another Lebanese c*nt that sold his soul to the highest bidder.
'Those who stand for nothing, will fall for anything.'
23 March 2012, 23:05
06
mansour (such an odd name for a loser) is certainly right. Israel is shelling the Lebanese villages located far far away from the south on the Syrian border. [sarcasm]. Unless the Lebanese villagers are shelling themselves of course!
23 March 2012, 23:54
05
Lebanon must summon the Syrian ambassador in Beirut, get an explanation and Bachar's apologies and a commitment from the Syrian regime to stop this as well a fund the repairs. Because as you know, acts of war aren't converred by insurance policies.
24 March 2012, 05:26
04
I suggest hanging all traitors.... those that work for Israel as well as those that work for Syria and Iran
24 March 2012, 12:43
10
yes you do talk about benzona and yourself and other in zionist information war department.
24 March 2012, 00:20
05
Ya Mansour, even if they are pursuing armed men, they have no right to go into Lebanon, or shoot into Lebanon, or even look at Lebanon!!!! If the Lebanese army did the same, chased someone into Syria and then fired on houses there, it would be a disaster right? I am sure that you would even condemn that you prick. You are a traitor!
24 March 2012, 00:52
00
Syria is a sister country. Let us just get rid of Syrian fundamentalist refugees, Ethiopian maids, human rights bureaucrats and bleeding-heart liberals. All great countries are the product of genocides. The USA for example.
24 March 2012, 01:01
00
Also, as we all know, Mansour is Mr scruples. Hezbollah politicians never lie.
24 March 2012, 01:09
04
What a weak response from an official representing our country. I guess the message is clear, ' lebanons government will stand quietly in the background while it's citizens and it's Sovereignty are being harassed,bombed,or any thing that comes to mind. Long live the blindfold That is so well Worn by our self appointed officials!! Fellow readers I ask you this In 2013 elections what will you do for your country???
24 March 2012, 01:28
03
In2012, we'll be voting for the current winners that were denied leadership. Ya3ne M14! Amin.
24 March 2012, 12:49
10
lol
in 2012?
your mossad friends gave you wrong information about elections in lebanon
by the way, a little secret, the jews don't vote in lebanon, so you will not vote...
oh i understand now...the zionist entity is pretending to have elections in 2012??? that's why you will vote than...
24 March 2012, 12:47
10
the filthy zionist trash scum and filth is not happy because lebanon is not willing to help their mercenaries.
24 March 2012, 19:29
00
The zionists are pro bashar idiot, him and his dad were their good servants in the golan for over 40 years, the dictatorships in Syria started with the help of the CIA, if the US/israel were so displeased with your bashar he would have been dead by now, the Russia that you like so much was the first country in the world to recognize israel, go read some history you are just too ignorant and very embarassign to yourself.
24 March 2012, 02:43
00
Just looking at your face is an insult because I wasted a minute looking at it and how disgrace you are to our country, what a waste for the Lebanese tax payer you are, it would have been way much better if we had no minister like you and the position was not filled.
24 March 2012, 03:54
00
Man-sewer, you are Assad's number one mouthpiece. You look real happy thinking about that big paycheck you've earned on behalf of the killer giraffe.... I hope you choke on it!
24 March 2012, 05:08
00
“Human Rights Watch has said that the (Syrian) opposition is violating human rightsm,” Mansour added.
Why is it that when the HRW said this about the opposition they point it out but when they and Amnesty International, the UN and the Red Cross have mentioned thousands of cases of human rights violations by the Syrian government it's completely ignored by the same person saying they're fighting armed men.
Also, Aoun said there is no revolution so Mansour should go back to real issues.
24 March 2012, 07:09
01
We violate your sovereignty every day, yet there isn't nearly a fraction of the ruckus as per this incident. I love it. Please, keep distracting yourselves with one another while the rest of us advance our societies. Maybe you can break a new silly Guinness record! Wouldn't that be wonderful?
24 March 2012, 11:53
00
Of all the politicians who care for the benefit of other nations before thier own, this guy is undoubtedly the worst.
24 March 2012, 12:44
10
look, same mantra...this one skipped the morning briefing in zionist information war department so he repeats instructions from previous days
24 March 2012, 12:49
10
the filthy zionist scum trash and slime is asking if anyone remembers what he wrote some days ago.
we do, because you always write the same things.
24 March 2012, 19:31
00
no one is as brainwashed and as hallucinator as you are thinking the whole world revolves around da7iye and qum lol.
24 March 2012, 12:54
20
you will break olympic record in running away when your idiotic leaders send you filthy militia in lebanon again.
24 March 2012, 18:33
00
oh no it's not. it's held by your LF who actually made deal with assad instead
