Naharnet

Hizbullah Slams German FM, Describes Accusations as 'Void'

Hizbullah lashed out on Saturday at German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle's accusations that the party killed civilians in Qusayr area of central Syria, near the Lebanese border.

Hizullah described in a statement Westerwelle's accusations as “void, false and baseless.”

“The international customs state that the country's stances and policies should not be based on false and misleading information,” the statement said.

The party considered that the German FM accusations are part of the campaign on Hizbullah to please the United States.

“Hizbullah adopts the highest moral and humanitarian standards in dealing with civilians and military personal, which every international humanitarian institution agrees on,” the statement added.

Westerwelle said in comments published in Saudi Okaz newspaper that Hizbullah's involvement in Qusayr battles is a “dangerous turn of events in Syria,” condemning the targeting of civilians in the area by Hizbullah fighters.

Hizbullah, a staunch ally of the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad, has become increasingly embroiled in the conflict in neighboring Syria, which is now in its third year.

The group has dispatched fighters to battle alongside regime troops, including most prominently in Qusayr, a former rebel stronghold in central Homs.

Its fighters helped the Syrian army win back control of the town earlier this month, dealing a harsh blow to the opposition.

The regime has said it plans to build on that victory by trying to retake large parts of the northern city of Aleppo and its surrounding province, but it is unclear whether Hizbullah will also join that operation.


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