Syria Returns 3 More Slain Islamists as Families Claim Several Missing

Syrian authorities handed over Lebanon on Saturday three more bodies of Salafists killed in an ambush by regime troops in Tall Kalakh last month, in the third and last round of transfer of corpses from Syria.

The bodies of Malek al-Hajj Deeb, Abdul Hakim Ibrahim, and Hussein Srour were transferred from Syria through the Arida border crossing in northern Lebanon.

The corpses were delivered to their families for funeral prayers at al-Taqwa mosque in the northern city of Tripoli after noon prayers.

Last Sunday, the bodies of four fighters, including a Palestinian, were transferred to Lebanon, and the week before it the corpses of three Salafists were delivered to their relatives.

While there is still discrepancy on the number of fighters who infiltrated Tall Kalakh to fight alongside the rebels, media reports have said that several of them sought refuge with the rebel Free Syrian Army while around three others were arrested by regime troops and will be tried in Damascus.

The spokesman of the families of the fighters, Sheikh Mohammed Ibrahim, told MTV and LBCI that several of the fighters haven't returned to Lebanon, including Hassan Srour, who was held captive by regime troops, while another identified as Mohammed al-Rifai is missing.

The Syrian authorities are only handing over the bodies of men who have been identified following DNA tests, Ibrahim said. He insisted however to transfer all the corpses to allow the Lebanese authorities to identify the men.

A delegation from Dar al-Fatwa headed by Sheikh Mohammed Imam was on hand during the transfer.

“We came hear under the instructions of the Mufti to receive the last batch of the victims' (bodies) to close the page unless otherwise is proved,” he said at the Arida crossing.

The National News Agency quoted Imam as saying that it was up to the Lebanese authorities to investigate whether there were more bodies in Syria.