14 Hezbollah soldiers killed by rebels in past 2 days in battles over control of villages on Lebanese border

By Roi Kais

Hezbollah’s involvement in the Syrian civil war continues to grow. Syria’s main opposition group claimed Sunday that no less than 1,000 Hezbollah men have entered Syria in the past 24 hours.

“It’s a coordinated ground invasion,” the Free Syrian Army spokesman said. “Hezbollah has started a war against us.”

At least two Hezbollah operatives and five rebels were killed in battles southwest of Homs. Earlier on Sunday, rebels claimed they killed 12 members of the Lebanese terrorist group on Saturday.

Hezbollah fighters, who control eight villages around Homs, attacked three Syrian villages in the Qusayr region near the Lebanese border. Free Syrian Army spokesman Louay Almokdad warned civilians residing in villages near the border to leave the area.

He added that Hezbollah has declared “an open war against Syrian civilians in full coordination with the Assad regime that does not bomb areas where Hezbollah is present.”

Battles between Hezbollah and the Syrian rebels escalated after the death of Revolutionary Guard official Hassan Shateri.

Syrians arrive in Israel – Photo: Avihu Shapira

Meanwhile, the rebels are trying to distance themselves from Israel. The Military Revolutionary Council in Golan Quneitra said that none of its men had been injured in clashes on Saturday and therefore could not have been treated in Israel.

Conversely, Iranian media outlets affiliated with the Syrian regime reported extensively on the aid Israel provided to the seven wounded Syrians.

Earlier on Sunday, it was reported that the seven rebels underwent surgery overnight. One of them is still in serious condition in the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit after sustaining injuries to his abdomen.

The condition of the remaining rebels, who mainly sustained injuries to their extremities, is stable.

Fighting near Homs (Video: Reuters)

Ziv Medical Center Director Dr. Oscar Ambon told Ynet that the injuries were caused mainly by shrapnel and bullets, adding that the medical team will not question the injured parties regarding the cause of their wounds.

View original Ynet publication at: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4346099,00.html