Dozens of Syrian Refugees Flee into Akroum, Wadi Khaled

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Dozens of Syrian refugees, including one suffering gunshot wounds, poured into northern Lebanon on Monday, as shooting was heard and smoke billowed across the border.

"Some 12 families have crossed into Lebanon from the border town of Hitt," said Mohammed al-Khatib, a van driver who had been transferring the refugees from the crossing into the northern Lebanese areas of Akroum and Wadi Khaled.

Khatib told Agence France Presse the refugees had arrived in Lebanon via the illegal border crossing of al-Nsoub.

Akroum village residents told AFP they could hear gunshots coming from the Syrian side of the border and had seen black pillars of smoke rising.

A Lebanese security official said that 50-year-old Ali al-Ahmed, a Syrian refugee from Hitt, had been hospitalized on the Lebanese side on Monday with two gunshot wounds to his legs.

Thousands of Syrians have fled into Lebanon in recent months, often using illegal border crossings, to flee the unrest gripping their country.

The United Nations estimates more than 2,200 civilians have been killed since mid-March as a result of the Syrian regime's violent crackdown on protests against the rule of President Bashar al-Assad.

Comments 3
Thumb shab over 12 years

What will happen to the Alawite minority when Asssad falls? Do the expect the Sunnis will forget how the Alawite army are massacaring the Sunnis?

Default-user-icon Gabby (Guest) over 12 years

Will the Hezz gov't help these people? Oh wait the Hezz shabiha were doing the shooting. Assad will eventually run like a rat looking for and exit.

The Hezz in Lebanon have now losts all support from the Druze too.

Default-user-icon Singotak (Guest) over 12 years

Round up these Sunni criminals and ship them to Guantanamo where they belong.