Syrian Observatory Refutes Hizbullah Claims on Badreddine's Death
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights rejected Hizbullah's statement on the assassination of its prominent commander Mustapha Badreddine, refuting its accusation that “takfiri” groups had killed him in the Syrian capital Damascus.
It quoted reliable Islamic sources and others from the Syrian regime as saying that no rocket was fired at Damascus international airport or its vicinity in the past few days.
The Observatory also did not record the firing of any shell in the area.
“All that Hizbullah claimed over the death of its military commander by a shell fired by local factions near the airport area is baseless,” it added.
“Hizbullah has to reveal the real story of the death of its military commander in Syria.”
The pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat on Sunday said that the rebels factions are some 12 kilometers away from Damascus airport and they therefore did not have the capabilities to kill Badreddine.
Several Syrian opposition members speculated that his death was an “inside job that reflects the conflict between the Iranian and Russian forces in Damascus.”
Hizbullah announced Badreddine's death in Damascus on Friday, blaming “takfiri” groups for the murder.
Badreddine, who was in his mid-50s, was a key player in Hizbullah's military wing.
He was on a U.S. terror sanctions blacklist and a key suspect in the 2005 assassination in Beirut of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri in addition to being one of Israel's most wanted men.
Hizbullah has deployed thousands of fighters in Syria where Badreddine led its intervention in support of President Bashar Assad.
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