BEIRUT (dpa) – Armed Syrian opposition members will not be allowed into Lebanon, a Lebanese army commander told a magazine Friday. If true, the policy would be a rejection of a request made by the United States, which is trying to pressure the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to end nearly a year of violence between government troops and anti-government forces. Lebanese army commander Jean Qahwaji, in an interview with Al Afkar magazine, said that anyone asking for permission for gunmen to move into and out of Lebanon from Syria had “made the wrong request and knocked on the wrong door.” Members of the heavily outgunned opposition Free Syrian Army, composed mostly of Syrian defectors, have sought in recent months to regroup by taking shelter in neighboring countries. Qahwaji said the Lebanese army had boosted troop levels in the northern area of Wadi Khaled, which borders Syria, noting that the military is exerting utmost efforts to “control the border, prevent smuggling in both directions, and thwart any infiltration attempt.” US Ambassador to Lebanon, Maura Connelly, has “recognized Lebanon's efforts to provide assistance to Syrians fleeing the violence … and called for the protection of all Syrians, including members of the Free Syrian Army,” during a recent meeting with Interior Minister Marwan Charbel. Lebanese authorities last week arrested armed Syrian rebels, who crossed the border. According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, UNCHR, 7,058 Syrians have registered in Lebanon as refugees, but that number is expected to rise as the violence continues in the neighboring country. Syria has been gripped by an uprising since mid-March 2011, calling for the ouster of al-Assad and his government. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/dzbza Tags: Lebanon, No, Rebels, To Armed Syrian Section: International, Latest News, Lebanon, Syria
