Mansour Denies Syria Shelling Lebanese Border Areas
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.
Source: Naharnet
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