Abu Faruq, a kiosk owner in an upscale Beirut district, does not hide his opinion about the influx of Syrian refugees: "Lebanon is occupied by foreigners," he grumbled. "They're ruining us."

As the conflict in neighboring Syria stretches into a third year, a wave of refugees has flooded Lebanon, stretching its economy and testing its resources as well the nerves of its citizens.

Seventy-five fighters from Hizbullah have been killed in Syria since they first became involved in the country's war months ago, a source close to the Shiite militant group said on Thursday.

"There have been 57 killed and 18 others who have died of their wounds since the start of its (Hizbullah's) participation in the war in Syria," the source told Agence France Presse.

Syria's main opposition group opened key talks Thursday in Istanbul to debate whether to negotiate with the regime on ending the bloody two-year civil war, as proposed by the U.S. and Russia.

During their three-day meeting, the Syrian National Coalition -- which is under fire from both its backers abroad and rebels on the ground -- is also expected to choose a new president, discuss expansion to include new members and decide the fate of an interim rebel government, opposition members told AFP.

Acting Internal Security Forces chief Brigadier General Roger Salem stressed on Thursday that the security forces will bolster their presence in the northern city of Tripoli in order to contain the clashes and tensions in the area.

He said: “The gunmen are not being granted political cover and they are acting independently.”

France is to call for the military arm of Hizbullah to be added to an EU terror blacklist due to its backing of the Syrian regime, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said Wednesday.

"Because of the decisions that have been taken by Hizbullah and the fact that they are fighting very harshly the Syrian population, we have decided to ask that the military branch of the Hizbullah would be considered as a terrorist organization," Fabius told reporters in English.

Middle East unrest increases the chance of Israel becoming embroiled in a surprise war, the head of its air force said on Wednesday.

"When you look (around) today I think that a surprise war can be born in very many configurations," Major General Amir Eshel told a conference near Tel Aviv in remarks broadcast on local television and radio.

French President Francois Hollande and British Prime Minister David Cameron Wednesday said they would seek European support for their proposal to arm the Syrian opposition to fight regime forces.

"We are prepared to lift the arms embargo further so that the opposition can present themselves as the legitimate voice of the Syrian people," Cameron told reporters during a brief stopover in Paris on the way back from Brussels.

Forty Syrian soldiers and pro-regime militiamen were killed in fighting with rebels on Wednesday around an army camp near the town of Nayrab in the northwestern province of Idlib, a watchdog reported.

"The fighting has killed 14 from the rebel side and not less than 40 among the soldiers of the regular army and members of the Popular Committees (pro-regime militia)," the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday hailed the Syrian regime's "constructive reaction" to a proposed peace conference on ending the bloodshed in the war-torn country, as he welcomed Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Muqdad in Moscow.

"We value the constructive reaction by the Syrian leadership to the offer" of holding the international event, Lavrov said, adding that he hoped to "discuss specific details" during Muqdad's visit.

France accused the Syrian regime on Wednesday of trying to transfer the ongoing civil war in Syria to neighboring countries, particularly to Lebanon.

"We are very concerned about the violent activities taking place in the northern city of Tripoli,” Spokesperson of the French Foreign Ministry Philippe Lalliot expressed.