Lebanon Handed 10 Refugees To Assad: Al-Nusra

The Qaeda-linked Al-Nusra Front on Monday claimed that Lebanon's General Security Agency had turned ten Syrian refugees over to the Syrian regime, warning that the alleged move could have dangerous consequences for the agency and its leaders.



"We have learned that Lebanon's General Security [Agency] has handed ten detained Syrian refugees over to the Bashar al-Assad regime," the front said via Twitter.



Al-Nusra has been holding several Lebanese troops hostage since early last month, when violent clashes erupted between the group's fighters and Lebanese security forces in Arsal, a town in eastern Lebanon on the border with Syria.



In its Twitter post, the front referred to what it called a "deal" between the Beirut government and Damascus.



It went on to warn that this deal could have serious ramifications for Lebanon's General Security Agency and its chief, accusing the latter of bowing to "Iranian directives."



The front addressed relatives of the captured Lebanese troops, saying: "Your government lies to you. We have decided to suspend negotiations [over the captured soldiers' release] until the problems in Arsal are totally resolved."



It accused Lebanon's General Security Agency of handing detained Lebanese refugees over to Syria in order to force the Al-Nusra Front to execute the captured Lebanese troops – which, it said, Lebanon could then use to justify a military campaign against it.   



In early August, 17 Lebanese troops were killed in clashes with the Al-Nusra Front.



By Hamza Takeen



englishnews@aa.com.tr



www.aa.com.tr/en - Beyrut