Syrian Coalitions Calls for Ending Violations Against Syrian Refugees in Lebanon

Hadi al-Bahra, President of the Syrian Coalition, calls on Russia to work with the Lebanese Government to put an end to the increasing violations against Syrian refugees in Lebanon in order to prevent an outbreak of violence. Moreover, it stresses the Syrian Coalition’s commitment to the safety and security of Lebanon and the Lebanese people,” during a meeting with Mikhail Bogdanov, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister and President Putin’s envoy to the Middle East. Bahra’s calls come against the backdrop of attacks against Syrian refugees in Lebanon. Gunmen opened fire yesterday on the tents of Syrian refugees in northern Lebanon, injuring two refugees. The attack followed Al Nusra Front’s execution of a captive Lebanese soldier, which Al Nusra said it executed him in retaliation for the Lebanese authorities’ detention of a number of women, some of whom are reportedly are wives of Al Nusra’s fighters. Nasr al-Hariri, Secretary General of the Syrian Coalition, condemns the execution of the Lebanese soldier Ali al Bazzal, describing the act as “a heinous unacceptable crime.” Al Bazzal was executed by the militant group Al Nusra Front after Hezbollah turned down a prisoner exchange deal with Al Nusra Front. “Kidnapping is a crime that contravenes the principles of the international law, and this act, if repeated, would further fuel the social and sectarian tensions in the region. To us, the blood of the Lebanese and the Syrians is one despite all Hezbollah’s efforts to drive a wedge between the two brotherly peoples,” Hariri said. Moreover, Hariri attributes full responsibility for this crime to Hezbollah’s blatant intervention in Syria, denouncing the part’s double-standards with respect to the exchange of prisoners. “While Hezbollah agreed to a prisoners exchange deal with Al Nusra Front a few days ago, whereby its captive soldiers were released, it left the captive Lebanese army troops out of the deal,” he said. Nasr al-Hariri, Secretary General of the Syrian Coalition, called earlier on the Lebanese government “to exercise caution and restraint regarding the abduction of the Lebanese Army soldiers. In light of the political upheaval sweeping the region, dealing with this issue is like trying to defuse the political and social bombs planted by Hezbollah’s and Iran’s reckless policies in the region.” Hariri also said that “Hezbollah bears much of the blame for the abduction of the Lebanese soldiers, as it has breached international laws by interfering in Syria’s internal affairs. For security and stability to be restored to Syria and the region, Hezbollah must withdraw its fighters from Syria. The Lebanese government has to put pressure on Hezbollah and admit that Hezbollah’s involvement in Syria will not whatsoever be part of the fight against terrorism.” Hariri stresses that “the sole beneficiary of these terrorist actions are the Assad regime and Hezbollah as they give credence to Assad’s allegations that the conflict in Syria is a mainly sectarian and ethnic one and cannot be considered a popular uprising against tyranny and injustice.” Hariri rules out that Hezbollah may comply with the demands of the kidnappers to pull out of Syria as it is merely a pawn moved around by Iran’s ayatollahs. On the other hand, the sole concern of the Assad regime and Hezbollah is clinging to power regardless of the lives of ordinary people.” (Source: Syrian Coalition)