Syria’s defense ministry accused Lebanon’s Hezbollah group on Sunday of abducting three Syrian soldiers and killing them in Lebanon, according to state media. The ministry said that a Hezbollah militia group kidnapped the soldiers on the Syrian-Lebanese border, transported them to Lebanon, and subsequently killed them. The incident reportedly took place near the Zeita Dam, west of Homs. The defense ministry vowed to take necessary actions in response to this “dangerous escalation.”
In contrast, Hezbollah denied any involvement in clashes with Syrian security forces or on Syrian soil. The group issued a statement rejecting any link to the events on the Syrian-Lebanese border, reiterating that it had no role in any incidents within Syrian territory.
Additionally, Lebanon’s state news agency NNA reported that rockets fired from Syrian territory landed in the Lebanese village of Qasr near the border. However, no further details were provided about the incident.
Hezbollah had been a major supporter of Syria’s former president Bashar Assad, who was ousted in a rapid offensive by militants in December. In response to ongoing cross-border smuggling activities, Syria’s new authorities initiated a security campaign last month in the Homs border province, accusing Hezbollah of supporting smuggling gangs through attacks.
