http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=29646
FSA: Hezbollah fighters in Syria, carrying out raids
16/05/2012
By Nadia al-Turki and Yousef Diab
London/Beirut, Asharq Al-Awsat – As the Syrian military continued to shell
various areas of the country yesterday, Free Syrian Army [FSA] sources informed
Asharq Al-Awsat that Lebanese kill-squads affiliated to Hezbollah had entered
Syrian territory, specifically the al-Qasir region, close to the Lebanese
border.
FSA commander of Homs, Colonel Qasim Saad al-Din, revealed that Hezbollah
forces raided several villages in Al-Qasir, including Al-Safsafah, Al-Masriyah,
Al-Sawadiyah, Mutribah, and Zaytah. He stressed “these forces arrested 37
Syrians, including women, and also erected roadblocks at the entry point of
each of these villages.”
The FSA commander asserted that the Hezbollah fighters entered these areas
accompanied by Syrian security forces, adding that there were a total of around
200 Hezbollah fighters, divided into 20 separate groups, in the al-Qasir region
yesterday. He also claimed that the Hezbollah fighters had illegally entered
Syria via Shiite border villages known to be loyal to the Lebanese
organization.
Colonel Saad-al-Din asserted that “we have received information from the
villages and from the FSA confirming that they identified them [the Hezbollah
fighters] from their accents and clothes, whilst they were also accompanied by
elements speaking Farsi.”
He added “so far, they have carried out arrests and raided houses…injuring
several people.” He also claimed that Hezbollah forces had previously aided and
supported al-Assad regime forces in Syria, saying “they were present in more
than one area in the Rif Dimashq governorate, as well as the western and
southern Homs governorate. They were also present in large numbers in
Al-Zabadani."
For his part, FSA spokesman Colonel Khalid al-Hammoud informed Asharq Al-Awsat
that the FSA is in possession of information confirming the presence of
Hezbollah elements and fighters in Syria. He stressed that “Hezbollah elements
are primarily deployed in the Al-Qasir area and the surrounding villages in the
Homs countryside, as well as in Al-Zabadani, Rankus, and Madaya in the Rif
Dimashq governorate, as these areas are close to the Lebanese borders and they
allow the Hezbollah elements to easily enter and leave the country.”
He added “there are also Iranian specialists present in the northern areas [of
Syria] close to the Turkish borders who have set-up operation rooms…in order to
intercept the telephone calls of activists and FSA members."
Colonel Khalid al-Hammoud claimed that “the Hezbollah elements' role is
confined to sniper operations, whilst the Iranian specialists’ tasks include
training, communication operations and uncovering activists.”
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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