Syrian Army Infiltration Creates Fears of Crisis Spilling over to Lebanon
A heated debate rose in Lebanon on Friday over the controversial Syrian infiltration into the Lebanese territories in the eastern Bekaa valley.
In a second incident this week, Syrian troops entered the outskirts of Arsal village on Thursday and shot dead a Syrian national living there.
Earlier this week, Syrian tanks entered the same region in a brief incursion that raised fears of the revolt against the regime in Damascus spilling over into Lebanon.
The Syrian troops killed Ali al-Khatib, a 41-year-old Syrian national, is married to Hoda Hussien al-Breidi, a Lebanese national, a security source told An Nahar newspaper on Friday.
An exchange of fire erupted between the Syrian forces and an unknown person who was accompanying al-Khatib, which led to the death of a Syrian soldier, the daily reported.
The daily said that the body of al-Khatib was taken back into the Syrian territories.
A government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed to Agence France Presse the incident and said it was unclear why al-Khatib was targeted or how he was killed.
"The area in question is very remote and right along the border," he said.
The March 14-led opposition voiced its condemnation of the Syrian army violation and criticized the government’s silence regarding the incursion.
However, Prime Minister Najib Miqati told AFP on Thursday that a joint Syrian-Lebanese committee was closely following the matter.
"I am not being silent about this, we are dealing with the issue normally," he said, noting the permeability of the border.
Washington has urged Lebanese authorities to protect Syrian opposition members, following reports some were being hunted down and sent back to Syria.
An estimated 5,000 Syrians have sought refuge in Lebanon in recent months, among them deserting soldiers and members of the opposition..
over 12 years
:)
over 12 years
Some people obviously believe that we are 1 nation...Tfeh!
over 12 years
israel cuts a tree and all M8 cry , shout at the israeli incursion.... tanks violate lebanese territory and M8 cries it s no big deal to violates lebanese borders...
see how dogs are faithful to their masters....
over 12 years
and as for syrian incursions in lebanon, it's all march 14 fault.
they smuggled weapons to syrian rebels, despite warnings not to interfere in syrian affairs.
and now they scream about syrian army incursions...what a hypocrisy
over 12 years
It will spill over if we let it spill over!
If we had an independant strong government, it would deploy the army in the sensitive zones, would start demarcation of borders unilaterally, would summon the syrian ambassador, would send a claim to the UN, etc...
over 12 years
and than syrian army wouldn't come in a shoot people we had to put in prison.
over 12 years
The patriot ; You took the words out of my mouth. How could some have such clear vision and some are as blind as bats?
over 12 years
The patriot ; You took the words out of my mouth. How could some have such clear vision and some are as blind as bats?
over 12 years
if we had strong and independent goverment we would prosecute those who smuggle weapons to other country.
over 12 years
The crisis started in Lebanon when our stateless country allowed a jerk like cheikh Imbecile become head of the government. It's like taking a failed student out of school and making him school principal. Only in Lebanon!!! Not only that, the idiot and his aunt funded and supported the Sunni crazies who now are Al Qaeda - Akkar and Tripoli Brigades. Just like the Syrians are doing, we should all do, and that is pursuing the Sunni crazies and terminate them, to the end of the earth. 3alehom
over 12 years
@mo wateh
If I was in politics, YOU wouldn't last a day!
over 12 years
@waté
You probabely thought the same about Gebran Tueini... One true patriot! One of our spiritual fathers!
over 12 years
what some here don t want to understand is that assad CANNOT stand a free lebanon country. He would do everythg he can to keep it divided because he ideologically thinks it is PART OF SYRIA...
so what did he do? in 2005, as he was forced to leave under pressure he started to leave chaos in lebanon.
He uses M8 to do the job... since M14 took power M8 did evrything they could to stop the gvt and avoid implementing any reforms for the sake of lebanon....
M8 doesn t care about lebanon, they care just as faithful dogs to please their syrian master to keep their privileges...and their bootlickers here still thank syria for the killings and sufferings of lebanese people under their rule!
let me remind you that aoun said that LONG ago.... that if syrian would retreat they would leave chaos and infilter extremists islamists groups in lebanon (see fatah el islam!) .... reread his speeches!!!
so you are then going to say aoun is a liar?
over 12 years
@jabalamel
You should really become a political analyst, and we'll make sure that your interviews air on "Comedy Central". When you say that the Syrians are infiltrating our borders because of March 14: you do realize that the infiltrations are to hunt down Syrian nationals and has nothing to do with any Lebanese whether it be March 8 or March 14.
As far as the Lebanese are involved, it is our government's job not to allow any infiltration of our border. This my friend is the job of our defence minister who is as we both know a March 8 puppy.
You also mention something about having a "strong and independent" government. You see in politics there is something known as the balance of power, and as long as Hezbollah's mini-state is more powerful than the government, the government won't be strong. Again it is an issue that is caused by March 8.
In your reply please focus on the content and not on my name. Translate my name to Arabic, you'll understand what it means.
over 12 years
@mowaten
Let us first start with "farateen". Really? Who did it take 8 months to form a one-sided government?
I am not a March 14 advocate, but I sure as hell hate the guts out of March 8 and their double standard politics leading us to a national goal of: becoming a proxy of the axis of evil.
As for the @thepatriots comment, what is there that he said that does not make him a good politician? That he wants an independent state? That he wants to demarcate our borders? That he wants to resolve the border infiltrations? If this is bad politics my friend, maybe it is time you changed your scope and wake the eff up.
Why do we have to have double standards? When Israel breaches our border, all Lebanon denounces it (no matter how much you want to believe otherwise deep inside you know it is true, we all hate the Israelis). I find it absolutely pathetic that when Syria infiltrates our border, only half of Lebanon denounces it. You guys are a disgrace for the country, hide your faces.
over 12 years
UN is the only option here to kick the Syrian in the ass. Lebanon has the right to return the Lebanese villages were captured by the English from the French during world war two and are Lebanese land under Syrian control.
over 12 years
UN is the only option here to kick the Syrian in the ass. Lebanon has the right to return the Lebanese villages were captured by the English from the French during world war two and are Lebanese land under Syrian control.
over 12 years
Hey guys.
Im an Israeli. The only thing I can wish for is for Lebanon to be free from its problems right now. Syria does not care about Lebanon, and they want to drag everyone down with them.
I had a friend from UNIFIL that said Lebanon was the Swizerland of the middle east. he was there 8 months ago again, and said it has changes for the worse. Come on guys, bring back the swizerland of the middle east. Its only for you... I wont gain a thing from this...
over 12 years
Yes, bigzift...it was March 14 that drove those tanks into Lebanon and killed the Syrian on Lebanese soil...keep watching Dunya TV man!!!
over 12 years
funny the comments of bigdig....
no financing the salafis, what about no financing the hezb from iran?
no smuggling of arms, what about the same thing from syria to the hezb?
and lebanon would be civilised and on its way to development!
ah! yes you will say it is not the same!! double standards as usual for the M8... what is good for us is forbidden to those who are against us!
and you d better inform yourself: it is not a salafi revolt in syria, but a peoples revolt! there are certainly salafis in the lot but they are the minority demonstrating....
seems you don t inform yourself out of M8 medias or syrian tv....
over 12 years
@mowaten
You are a smart kid. Get rid of the conspiracy theories and read less Syrian-Iranian news, and things will make a lot more sense to you.
I am not going to comment on your first paragraph because it is based on a "make-me-feel-better" conspiracy theory.
But for your second paragraph, where I see some potential in you. I would rather get isolated by two states (Syria and Iran) than get isolated by the rest of the world.
We are on the Palestinian side, but if we're going to fight the Palestinian war alone, then NO it won't happen. Yes the rest of the world does not give a crap about us, but isolating yourself from Syria and Iran means more economic prosperity. Tell me, if you had a store, would you rather have 2 customers or 170+ customers? That is assuming that you completely isolated yourself from Syria, which won't happen given that Bashar's days are numbered.
i.e.
over 12 years
zionist information war department is so furious over my posts that they have to say everything twice
No fear