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HTS militants occupying 5km of eastern Lebanese town: Local mayor

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen
18 Mar 2025 10:57
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The latest development comes despite the Lebanese and Syrian sides reaching a ceasefire to end the cross-border clashes.

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Syrian troops gather in the village of Hawsh al-Sayyed Ali, located 2 km (1.24 miles) from the Lebanon border, Syria, Monday, March 17, 2025 (AP)

Militants from the Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group have occupied five kilometers of the eastern Lebanese town of Hawsh al-Sayyed Ali up until now and are carrying out house thefts, the local mayor of the town said on Tuesday, amid cross-border clashes over the past two days, which resulted in 10 fatalities.

Local sources revealed to Al Mayadeen that the militants entered parts of the Lebanese town of Hawsh al-Sayyed Ali after a ceasefire took effect, noting that the Lebanese Army has not entered the area where the militants are stationed within the town.

Lebanon’s Minister of Defense, Michel Menassa, and his Syrian counterpart, Murhaf Abu Qasra, reached an agreement on a ceasefire, as confirmed in statements from the Lebanese and Syrian defense ministries on Monday.

According to the Syrian and Lebanese defense ministries, the clashes left three HTS militants and seven Lebanese killed. Additionally, the Lebanese Health Ministry reported that 52 people were injured on the Lebanese side.

Both defense ministers also agreed to maintain ongoing communication between the military intelligence agencies of both countries to prevent further escalation at the border.

Meanwhile, Lebanon’s Foreign Minister, Youssef Raji, met with his Syrian counterpart, Asaad al-Shibani, in Brussels to address the cross-border situation, agreeing to keep communication lines open, as reported by Lebanon’s state news agency NNA.

A Lebanese security source informed Reuters that the three militants initially crossed into Lebanese territory and were subsequently killed by armed members of a tribe in northeastern Lebanon, who feared their town was under attack. Later, Syrian forces shelled Lebanese border towns overnight, as confirmed by both the Syrian defense ministry and the Lebanese army.

In a statement on Monday, Lebanon’s army confirmed it had transferred the bodies of the three Syrian militants to Syrian authorities, noting that it had responded to fire from Syrian territory and deployed reinforcements to the border area.

Hawsh al-Sayyed Ali being looted by militants

Lebanese Member of Parliament, Ihab Hamadeh, told Al Mayadeen that "there were no clashes on the border between Lebanon and Syria; rather, there was targeting of Lebanese land."

He added that the Lebanese army is confronting "the occupiers in every sense of the word, and it is the one leading the battle."

Hamadeh hoped that "it won't be long before the army enters the town of Hosh al-Sayyed Ali, as it is currently being looted by the occupying militants."

"There is an occupation of Lebanese territory, and we are raising our voice on this matter to the President of the Republic, knowing that the army is confronting the occupiers," he said.

The Lebanese lawmaker also noted that the army is deployed across the entire border and has reinforced its presence along the border line between Lebanon and Syria.