(Zaman Alwasl)- Syrian activists say more than 140, ooo Syrian refugees in the border town of Arsal are facing severe siege imposed by Lebanese government and Hezbollah militia as the humanitarian aid is blocked.
The Lebanese government stipulated release of 24 security forces still in the hands of jihadists in order to allow aid supply entering the embattled town.
The last two weeks had witnessed fierce offensive by Lebanese army backed by Hezbollah militants on Syrian refugees’ camps in Bekaa valley where most of their makeshifts had been burned due to the heavy bombardment. At least 60 Syrian refugees and have been killed and 500 more wounded in the fighting.
Activists called on the human rights NGO’s and Untied Nation to interfere, saying Syrian camps in Arsal need at least $ 1.7 million.
The fighting erupted on August 2 after soldiers arrested a Syrian jihadist, prompting extremists to open fire on army positions and storm a police station.
Several days of fighting in the area, which lies on the Syrian border, killed 19 soldiers, 16 civilians and dozens of jihadists.
On Friday night, The jihadist al-Nusra Front has posted a video showing kidnapped Lebanese security personnel calling on the Hezbollah movement to withdraw its fighters from Syria, AFP reported.
The nine men, who appear to be eight Lebanese policemen and a soldier, are among 24 security forces still in the hands of jihadists after fighting erupted on the Syrian border earlier this month.
They call on their family members to stage demonstrations and block roads in Lebanon to protest Hezbollah's involvement in Syria, where the Shiite group is fighting alongside the regime to put down a Sunni-dominated uprising.
Meanwhile, the Lebanese Muslim Scholars Committee in Lebanon announced that it has frozen mediation efforts it was involved in to secure the release of army and security forces personnel held captive by Islamist militants who attacked Arsal earlier in the month, NOW newspaper reported.
The fighting in Arsal was the most serious border incident since the Syrian conflict began in March 2011. (With AFP, NOW)
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