Group Claims Syrian Violence Spilling into Lebanon
Published at(NEW YORK) — The fear that the violent Syrian conflict is spreading outside the country’s borders is becoming a reality, according to a Human Rights Watch report.
Released Monday, the report alleges that some residential areas of Lebanon have become enveloped in the fighting between Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces and opposition fighters.
Human Rights Watch says there’s evidence that Lebanese civilians have been killed by either the Syrian military or rebels, and no proof to support Syria’s claims that Lebanon is provoking cross-border attacks.
The group said in a statement, “The nature of the rockets and launchers that appear to have been used, together with the lack of any evidence of military targets in the villages, strongly suggests these attacks were indiscriminate and therefore violate the laws of war.”
Lebanon has remained neutral in the Syrian conflict although there are allegations that its government is deploying militant Hezbollah fighters to back al-Assad’s forces, which are increasingly finding it difficult to recruit new members.
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