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..
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