Australia says investigating Hezbollah's claim that Ali Bazzi was one of its fighters
Australia is investigating Hezbollah's claim that Ali Bazzi, who was killed in an airstrike on Tuesday in Bint Jbeil, was one of its fighters.
Australia's acting foreign minister Mark Dreyfus said that Ali Bazzi and his brother Ibrahim Bazzi are both Australian citizens.
Ibrahim Bazzi had arrived in Lebanon recently from Sydney to accompany his Lebanese wife Shorouq Hammoud to Australia, news media reported. Hammoud, who had recently received an Australian visa, was also killed in the attack.
Their three coffins were draped in the flag of Hezbollah.
"Hezbollah is a listed terrorist organization under Australian law. It's an offense for any Australian to cooperate with, to support, let alone to fight with a listed terrorist organization like Hezbollah," Dreyfus told reporters.
Dreyfus said his government had communicated with Israel about the airstrike but declined to disclose what was said.
"In the context of the current conflict, Australia has consistently called for civilian lives to be protected and we have consistently raised our concerns about the risk of this conflict spreading," Dreyfus said.
Dreyfus repeated a government warning for Australians not to travel to Lebanon. Australians already in the country should leave while commercial air services are still available.
The Australian embassy in Beirut was ready to provide consular assistance to the Bazzi family if required, he said.
Source: Associated Press
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