7 Hezbollah fighters killed in clashes near Syria-Lebanon borderJuly 14, 2014 - 14:02 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Seven fighters from the Lebanese group Hezbollah were killed in fighting with Sunni Islamist insurgents in a mountainous area on the Syria-Lebanon border in which at least 16 rebels were also killed, a monitoring group said on Monday, July 14, according to Reuters. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition-affiliated watchdog, said a further 31 fighters from Hezbollah were wounded in the fighting in the border area between Ras al-Maara in Syria and Arsal in northeast Lebanon. There was no immediate comment from Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed Shi'ite Islamist group whose fighters have been aiding Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the Syrian civil war. A Lebanese security official and a source close to Hezbollah said at least two Hezbollah fighters and 27 rebels had been killed in the fighting that erupted on Sunday. Syrian government forces backed by Hezbollah fighters have driven rebels from major towns along the border with Lebanon in the last year. That has helped to shore up Assad's control in a corridor of territory stretching north from Damascus and driven remaining rebels into the mountains at the border. The Observatory said Hezbollah had captured 14 Islamist fighters from groups including the Nusra Front, al Qaeda's official affiliate in the Syrian war. Syrian government forces and Hezbollah "control the area, but they don't control every cave and mountain. There are many areas to hide in the mountains", said Rami Abdurrahman, the Britain-based head of the Observatory. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Government reveals details from Pashinyan’s meeting in border village Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has met with a group of residents of a border village in Armenia’s northern Tavush province Narek Manasyan wins European Boxing Championships silver for Armenia Armenia’s Narek Manasyan (92kg) won Armenia’s second silver medal at the European Boxing Championships 2024 on April 28. Blinken urges Azerbaijan to continue negotiations with Armenia Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has urged Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to continue negotiations with Armenia. Pashinyan, Blinken talk Armenia-U.S. ties over the phone Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on April 28, Pashinyan’s office reports. |