Lebanese villages hit by Syrian mortar

Published September 1st, 2013 - 06:50 GMT
Lebanese soldiers patrol the northern town of Tripoli in June. (AFP/File)
Lebanese soldiers patrol the northern town of Tripoli in June. (AFP/File)

Three mortar shells from Syrian side hit the outskirts of the Lebanese border towns of Hekr Janine and Qashlaq in the northern district of Akkar, the state-run National News reported Saturday.

The News Agency reported that Syrian security forces also opened gunfire at the outskirts of the two towns.

The almost three-year long violence in Syria has increasingly spilled over into Lebanon, with cross-border shelling in the north and east.

Mortars and shells from the Syrian side regularly crash in Lebanon, causing several casualties. But Lebanese forces have never fired back despite promises of retaliation.

Syrian authorities had threatened to attack Lebanese territories if “terrorists” continue to infiltrate the country from Lebanon.

Lebanese parties are sharply divided over the developments in Syria despite the dissociation policy that was adopted by the state.

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