The three Israeli soldiers abducted by the Lebanese Hizbollah movement over the weekend were wounded during their capture, the army said Tuesday.
"Traces of blood discovered at the scene were those of the three soldiers who were hurt during their capture," an army spokesman said.
In Beirut, the representative of the International Committee for the Red Cross, Henri Fournier, told AFP: "I have no comment" on the issue.
Reacting to the possible injury of the three soldiers, a Hizbollah spokesman also told AFP that "we don't have anything to publish regarding this issue."
On Sunday, Fournier delivered a message from the Israeli authorities to a Hizbollah official. The ICRC delegate to Lebanon also requested to meet the three abducted soldiers.
Intense diplomatic activity is underway to try to secure the release of the three sergeants snatched in a commando operation by Hizbollah guerrillas on Saturday in the disputed Shabaa Farms, occupied by Israel since 1967.
Hizbollah has offered to swap the three with Lebanese militants and other Arabs held in Israeli jails.
Their abduction triggered prompt warnings from Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak of fierce reprisals against Lebanon and its political masters in Damascus.
The capture of the soldiers was the most serious confrontation since Israel pulled out its troops from Lebanon in May after a 22-year occupation of the south of the country - JERUSALEM (AFP)
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
