Several Hurt as Syrian 'Anti-Aircraft Fire' Hits Akkar Towns

Several Lebanese citizens were wounded on Friday when Syrian “anti-aircraft” guns targeted several towns in the border region of Akkar.

LBCI television said “shells fired from Syria fell on Lebanese border towns.”

It later reported clashes between gunmen and the Syrian army opposite the Lebanese towns of al-Noura and Hakr Janine.

“Two people were wounded in Akkar's al-Qashlaq as anti-aircraft gunfire from Syria targeted the town,” LBCI added.

Meanwhile, al-Jadeed television said “heavy gunfire from Syria is targeting the Akkar towns of al-Abboudiyeh, Hakr Janine and al-Qashlaq."

MTV reported that Lebanese citizen Zuheir al-Mustafa was wounded by Syrian shelling on al-Qashlaq.

The escalation comes one day after Syria warned that its forces would fire into Lebanon if "terrorist gangs" continued to infiltrate its territory.

"Syrian forces are showing restraint by not striking these gangs inside Lebanese territory to prevent them from crossing into Syria, but this will not go on indefinitely," Syria's foreign ministry said in a letter of protest, urging Lebanon to take action.

But LBCI quotes Lebanese security and military sources as saying that the Syrian letter "is not justified as there's nothing new on the border and the situation has not changed since a year."

"Trafficking is focused in Arsal's barren mountains, al-Qaa and Wadi Khaled and gunmen do not have permanent positions," the sources said.

But the sources did not deny that gunmen are inflitrating Syria from Lebanon.

Quoting residents of the Syrian border town of Joussiyeh, LBCI said "the reason behind the Syrian letter might be the advances achieved by rebels."

Residents of the Lebanese area of Wadi Khaled told LBCI that "Syrian intelligence agents are sending their loyalists to stir incidents on the border and create an excuse for shelling."

The U.N. Security Council expressed "grave concern" Thursday over cross-border attacks between Syria and Lebanon in a rare united declaration on the Syrian conflict.

Council members "underscored their grave concern over repeated incidents of cross-border fire which caused death and injury among the Lebanese population, incursions, abductions and arms trafficking across the Lebanese-Syrian border, as well as other border violations."