Members of the Free Syrian Army take position near the town of al-Qusayr in anticipation of an attack by government forces on May 10, 2012. Credit: FreedomHouse2 via Flickr
The Syrian rebels’ loss of the strategic town of Al-Qusayr to government forces on Tuesday may lead to an upsurge in violence in Lebanon, Lebanese news agency NOW reported. Syria’s Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Abdel Karim Ali told journalists on Wednesday that “we are witnessing the repercussions of the war in Syria on Tripoli and maybe the Free [Syrian] Army will start war in Lebanon to catch its breath,” referring to ongoing violence between religious factions and other groups in Tripoli, northern Lebanon.
Analysts say that Al-Qusayr was part of a major rebel supply route for weapons and fighters coming from Lebanon, and the town’s loss to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces likely means that the war in Syria will spread further into Lebanon as insurgents retreat from Syrian territory and conduct military operations against pro-Assad Shiite militia group Hezbollah and other Syrian government supporters. Observers also note that Syria’s borders are becoming increasingly blurred as the war devolves into a regional sectarian conflict between Shiites and Sunnis and other countries are drawn into the bloodshed.
