Report: Clashes along Lebanon-Syria Border
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Syrian security forces infiltrated the Bekaa border town of al-Qaa on Tuesday, said various media reports.
Local residents said that clashes ensued between the forces and members of the Syrian opposition.
Two Lebanese officials, one from the police and another from the military, however denied to the Associated Press that the Syrian troops had entered Lebanon.
They stated that the clashes on the Syrian side of the border started on Tuesday in al-Qaa area, adding that bullets struck the Lebanese side of the border.
The National News Agency confirmed the security reports denying the Syrian infiltration, stressing that the Lebanese army had deployed along the border in anticipation of any security development.
It added however that a Lebanese citizen was wounded by a stray bullet from Syria as a result of the clashes taking place along the Syrian side of the border.
Earlier on Tuesday, MTV reported that the Syrian troops had fired rockets towards al-Qaa, forcing residents to take shelter in their homes.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that fierce clashes erupted between Syrian regime forces and rebel troops near the border with Lebanon.
Rami Abdul Rahman, head of the Britain-based group, confirmed that the clashes were taking place in al-Qaa region.
There were no immediate reports of casualties.
A resident on the Lebanese side of the border told AFP the clashes were taking place inside Syrian territory.
"We can hear gunfire and explosions," he said.
On Thursday, A Lebanese security official and residents told Agence France Presse that Syrian troops had 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.
He said at least two rockets fell inside Lebanese territory.
Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour later denied that the Syrian army had 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.
Thousands of Syrians have fled to Lebanon since a revolt against the regime of Syrian President Bashar 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.
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.
27 March 2012, 13:50
04
the lebanese army is controlling with mechanised armour the whole area of qaa/ masharih on the lebanese syrian border ,after the retreat of assad forces under attacks from the syrian free army who is controlling the whole area of the syrian border after managing to destroy the " hajjaneh" positoions.it seems that the alawi fourth brigade is the only portion of the syrian army fighting for the regime.... and adnan mansour.
27 March 2012, 13:51
38
.......awkward moment when our government ignores this incident like it did not happen.
27 March 2012, 14:17
50
The TRUTH is that those Lebanese losers who openly and "in your face" messed with a neighboring country will have their butts grilled. These punks do not know that for every cross border action there is a cross border reaction. The dumb idiots and m3alla2in bi 7ibal al hawa bet their bananas on the fall of the regime, and now have themselves gone bananas. But the idiots are still betting that the regime will fall!!! Just listen to the two bananas Jumblat and Dr. Fe2e3a Hableh!
27 March 2012, 14:41
24
why is the foreign minister commenting on such issues? Should it not be the minister of defense? I guess it does not make any difference...... both pro assad regime.
27 March 2012, 15:08
15
The Syrian regime has lied, killed, robbed, raped the Lebanese for decades, and yet we still have people defending it with their blood. I only wish these Syrian puppets were a bit more Lebanese and loved their own more than a thug!
27 March 2012, 15:15
22
assad forces were pushed back by the free syrian army,the sector bordering qaa/masharih from the syrian side is under the control of the SFA after the hajjaneh surrendered their positions without fighting.
27 March 2012, 15:32
21
national news agency confirms that all the confrontations are now inside the syrian territory
27 March 2012, 15:42
25
Mansour is a waste of money & Lebanese tax money. this guy does nothing except traveling and spending our money to fake the truth and reality.
Impeach him.
27 March 2012, 15:45
26
Our government does not care because our government is ruled by the allies of the Syrian regime: HEZBOLLAH!
27 March 2012, 17:12
23
Where is the proud Hezz and army to protect Lebanon from invasion?? The Hezz are a mafia fraud. The M8 government is a laughing stock in the region.
27 March 2012, 17:29
23
Do not trust or believe what the army says. They are trying to "keep the peace." Which, in Lebanon, means to not step on Syria's toes or hurt Syria's image, further.
27 March 2012, 21:19
11
what borders , it only exist based on what the Syrians say and what this Lebanese government nod their heads Syria never recognize Lebanon as sovereign nation and the embassy is only a facade to do their dirty work in Lebanon and a large office for the Moukabarat
27 March 2012, 21:41
22
So the Lebanese army says they didn't cross the border, the Gouv and foreign officials say the same. But Mtv and Future(who are the least politized media in the world) says they did trespass and all M14 believes Mtv and Future,just how deep is this brain washing going?
27 March 2012, 22:03
13
Because what you are doing isn't militantism.... Anja2. Not only what you say can't be trusted, moreover what you do is creat a strife between Lebanese sects. Our main revandiction is a state without armed militias... No more weapon used against other Lebanese fellows, no more caches that blow up buildings because the unstable explosives are handled by amateurs in the name of Allah. Allah doesn't need terrorists to hijack his name. Allah khala2 el yahood, el massi7iyeh oul islem and the others as well. Keep your inttolerance to yourself and put it where you know.
28 March 2012, 11:30
21
I really don't see the relevance between what I wrote and your reply. Where is the intolerance in what I said, and I totally don't understand why the final touch of impoliteness, anyway I will not go this low it's not in my ethics, and I am sure it's not in yours. Anyway as for the rest i fully agree, we need a militia free state. So let's start with the Palestinians and then pass to the small local militias and then integrate the Hezbollah weapons within the Lebanese Army.
