Syria’s HTS Militants Enter Lebanese Town, Ransack Homes

By Staff, Agencies

Militants aligned with Syria’s ruling Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) regime have entered parts of a Lebanese town, ransacking homes, reports say, after shelling of Lebanon’s border areas killed several and wounded dozens of others.

HTS militants entered parts of the Lebanese town of Hawsh al-Sayyed Ali after a declared ceasefire on Monday, Arabic-language al-Ahad TV television network reported on Tuesday.

It added that the Lebanese Army has not yet entered the part of the town where HTS militants are present.

At least seven people were killed and 36 others wounded after the militants launched an attack against Hawsh al-Sayyed Ali in Hermel District, located in Lebanon’s eastern province of Baalbek-Hermel, al-Ahad reported on Monday.

It added that rocket shells, launched from the countryside of al-Qusayr in Syria, also hit the nearby town of al-Qasr.

Separately on Tuesday, the Lebanese al-Mayadeen television news channel reported that HTS militants had occupied five kilometers of the border town and were ransacking homes.

Hezbollah strongly dismissed the allegation by Syria’s HTS-run administration in a statement on Sunday.

The Lebanese National News Agency later reported that the bodies of three Syrian militants had been handed over to Syria via the Lebanese Red Cross.

Last month, more than 10 people were injured after shelling from Syria’s Qusayr countryside targeted border towns in Lebanon’s Hermel region.