Army, Hizbullah Raise Level of Alert over Syria War Developments

The Lebanese army has gone on alert along the border with Syria and inside Lebanese territories after Russian jets intensified their airstrikes in central Syria and Hizbullah got more involved in the country's war.

A security source told As Safir daily published on Tuesday that terrorist groups taking refuge in the border area are making suspicious moves.

The army raised its level of alertness over fears that the jihadists would carry out attacks inside Lebanese territories, he said.

Hizbullah has also consolidated its security measures in its strongholds, mainly in Beirut's southern suburbs, as it got more involved in Syria's war, said the source.

The party has moved in the past days thousands of highly-trained fighters from Lebanon towards areas near the northwestern province of Idlib to help the Syrian army regain control of the province.

After a heavy barrage of Russian airstrikes on Monday, the fighting was focused on the village of Kfar Nabudeh, which officials said had been seized by government troops. Activists said Syrian rebels repelled the attack.

Capturing Kfar Nabudeh would cut off a major highway, giving the pro-government forces access to Idlib. A rebel coalition that includes the al-Qaida-affiliated al-Nusra Front drove President Bashar Assad's forces out of Idlib in September, in a major setback for the government.

Their hold on Idlib threatened Latakia province, a stronghold of Assad and the Alawite religious minority to which he belongs.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 30 airstrikes were carried out in Kfar Nabudeh, while government troops and Hizbullah fighters entered the village from the south.

G.K.

D.A.