In Syria Today: The Syrian military, backed by Hezbollah fighters, has overtaken Yabroud, the last rebel stronghold near the Lebanese border. Most opposition fighters had withdrawn by Sunday, however rebels said fighting continued on the outskirts of the town. The fall of Yabroud is a major boost to the Syrian regime, helping President Bashar al-Assad to secure the route connecting the capital of Damascus with Aleppo and the Mediterranean coast. The move will also serve to cut off a major supply line for the rebels from Lebanon. The oppositions loss of Yabroud risks sparking increased violence in Lebanon, where a suicide car bomb struck a gas station Sunday in the primarily Shiite town of al-Nabi Othman, a Hezbollah stronghold. A group calling itself al-Nusra Front in Lebanon released a statement taking responsibility for the attack, saying it was a quick response to the bragging and boasting of the party of Iran [Hezbollah] over their rapping of Yabroud. However, Liwa Ahrar al-Sunna in Baalbek also claimed the attack, which killed at least four people including local Hezbollah leader Abdul Rahman al-Qadhi.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Mar 2014 00:57:58 +0000