Syrian troops said to eliminate ‘infiltrators’ from Lebanon

Heavy clashes and air-strikes reported near Syrian town of Qusair

By AP 2 January 2014, 9:37 pm

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Syrians inspect the rubble of buildings damaged buildings by government airstrikes, in Qusair, Homs province, Syria, on Saturday, May 18, 2013. (photo credit: AP Photo/Qusair Lens)

BEIRUT — Syria’s state news agency said Thursday that government forces have “wiped out” a group of gunmen who were trying to infiltrate from Lebanon.

SANA said the gunmen were trying to head in the direction of the western town of Qusair that government forces backed by Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group captured in June.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human rights reported clashes between troops and rebels Thursday in the Qusair area, saying there were casualties on both sides.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said Syrian warplanes conducted at least two air raids in the border area.

Lebanese are sharply divided over Syria’s civil war that has killed more than 130,000 people since March 2011, according to the Observatory.