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Damascus Accuses Hezbollah of Kidnapping and Executing Syrian Soldiers
A number of rockets fell in the border town of Al-Qasr in Lebanon, adjacent to Syria, in the northeastern part of the country last night, according to the Lebanese news agency. Sources indicated that the origin of these rockets is the countryside of Al-Qusayr within Syrian territory.
These developments come after allegations made by the Syrian Ministry of Defense yesterday, accusing Hezbollah of kidnapping three Syrian soldiers into Lebanon and subsequently executing them. The Syrian news agency (SANA) reported that a group affiliated with Hezbollah ambushed the soldiers at the Lebanese border before transporting them to Lebanese territory and executing them.
The Syrian Ministry of Defense stated that it would take necessary measures following this "serious escalation" by Hezbollah, noting that the incident occurred near the Zeta Dam to the west of Homs.
For its part, Hezbollah denied any involvement in the recent events along the border in an official statement, reiterating that it does not interfere in Syrian affairs.
A Lebanese security source confirmed to AFP that tensions began when three members of the Syrian General Security entered Lebanese territory near Al-Qasr and came under fire from members of a tribe engaged in smuggling, without clarifying the reason for their entry.
The source added that after the killing of the three soldiers, their bodies were handed over to the Lebanese army, which in turn delivered them to the Syrian side through the Lebanese Red Cross, as confirmed by the Lebanese news agency.
It is worth noting that Hezbollah was one of the main supporters of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad before his ousting in a sudden assault by armed factions last December. The new authorities in Syria acknowledged in February the adoption of a security campaign in the border province of Homs aimed at closing routes used for smuggling weapons and goods.
The Syrian authorities indicated that Hezbollah has conducted attacks and has been involved in supporting smuggling gangs, warning of escalating tensions along the border due to enhanced security measures in the region, which has led to clashes with local militants amid reciprocal accusations of escalating situations.
