Syrian Shells Hit Akkar Houses as Warplanes 'Violate Lebanese Airspace'
Two houses were badly damaged Sunday by shells fired from Syria on the Akkar town of al-Uwaynat as Syrian warplanes reportedly violated the Lebanese airspace over several towns in the region.
“Shells fired from the Syrian side of the border have been targeting the border town of al-Uwaynat since the afternoon,” Lebanon's National News Agency reported in the evening.
“One of the shells hit the house of Shbib Shbib, causing extensive damage,” NNA added.
It noted that the house of Lebanese citizen Elias Kafrouni was also hit by a tank shell that “caused major damage but no casualties.”
“A third shell landed near the water tank that supplies the town with drinking water,” NNA added.
Earlier on Sunday, the agency quoted residents of the Akkar region of Wadi Khaled and the towns of Mashta Hammoud and Akroum as saying that Syrian warplanes had “violated Lebanese airspace.”
Residents reported “successive flights over their towns” amid airstrikes targeting the famed Krak des Chevaliers castle inside Syrian territory, NNA added.
On Saturday, shells and gunshots from Syria hit the outskirts of Akkar towns of al-Noura, Hikr Janine and Qashlaq. Gunfire also targeted the highway linking the al-Abboudiyeh border crossing to the town of Menjez.
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati released a statement after Saturday's security developments on the border, revealing that he had contacted Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji in this regard.
"We asked for adopting all necessary procedures to deal with this situation,” the statement said.
"We reject any attack targeting Lebanese towns and against Lebanese citizens,” the caretaker premier stressed.
A Syrian identified as Hisham Khaled Ahmed was reportedly killed while two Lebanese, Mahmoud Ahmed Ramadan and Jamila Assaf, were injured in shelling that targeted the town of Mashta Hammoud on Friday.
Also on Friday, a gunfire exchange took place between troops and gunmen on the border, leading eventually to the withdrawal of these armed groups.
Since the Syrian crisis broke out in March 2011, border areas in northern and eastern Lebanon have been struck by frequent cross-border shelling and clashes which have left several people dead and scores other wounded.
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