LEBANON/TURKEY: Lebanon and Turkey are tightening their security at border crossings with Syria as the threat of a U.S. military strike looms.

Record ID: 276529

  • Title: LEBANON/TURKEY: Lebanon and Turkey are tightening their security at border crossings with Syria as the threat of a U.S. military strike looms.
  • Date: 31st August 2013
  • Summary: MASNAA BORDER, LEBANON (AUGUST 31, 2013) (REUTERS) CARS DRIVING AT LEBANESE MASNAA BORDER ARMY ON CHECKPOINT AT THE BORDER LEBANESE CITIZEN ON BALCONY SOLIDER STANDING AT CHECKPOINT VARIOUS OF FAMILY WALKING PAST THE BORDERS TOWARDS LEBANON SYRIAN CHILD SITTING IN CAR (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SYRIAN ARRIVING IN LEBANON, SAMIR, SAYING: "God willing, nothing will happen, as f
  • Embargoed: 15th September 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Syrian Arab Republic
  • Country: Syria
  • Topics: Conflict,International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAAT9KRXW8Q62ABQVY7S2PAPY5A
  • Story Text: Lebanon tightened security at a border crossing with Syria on Saturday (August 31).
    Soldiers deployed at checkpoints searched cars and people crossing the Masnaa border.
    But security was just as tight for those going back into Syria. Masnaa border the primary official crossing that divides the two neighbours.
    On Friday (August 30), U.S. President Barack Obama said the United States, which has five cruise-missile equipped destroyers in the region, is planning a "limited, narrow" military action to punish Syria's President Bashar al-Assad for an attack that Washington said killed 1,429 people.
    The Aug. 21 attack - the deadliest single incident of the Syrian civil war and the world's worst use of chemical arms since Iraq's Saddam Hussein gassed thousands of Kurds in 1988 - has galvanized a reluctant Washington to use force after two and a half years on the sidelines.
    Syrians at the Masnaa border crossing gave different views on the possibility of a U.S. military strike.
    "God willing, nothing will happen, as far as we have a defense force, they will count to million before they attack us," said Samir, a Syrian man who arrived in Lebanon on board a car.
    "All the Syrian people demand the strike on Syria, of course, they don't want them to target civilians, they want them to target the regime' s military sites, they won't target any civilian site, and we ask America and all the world's countries to intervene and protect the Syrian people," said Syrian citizen Farid al-Assaad who says he is merely visiting Lebanon and not taking refuge.
    "Are we scared from the strike? No, Syria doesn't fear the strike. Syria is used to conspiracy. Syria will come out of this stronger than them and stronger than ever, and America won't like the outcome at the end," said Syrian citizen Fadi.
    In Turkey, security at the border crossings were also tight.
    Turkish military vehicles, anti-missile launchers and anti-aircraft guns were deployed along the Syrian border on Saturday.
    Syrians crossing into Turkey with their families expressed mixed reactions about the strike.
    "We hope God will solve this problem and we know U.S. and European countries have interest in Syria and that is why they want to take a step forward but only God can help us truly," said Abu Abdul.
    "We wish that they attack President Bashar Assad and the regime because we suffered enough from the bombardments. We just want to go back to our country," said Syrian citizen Khaled.
    The timing of the attack, most likely with cruise missiles from five U.S. Navy destroyers already stationed in the eastern Mediterranean, was uncertain, but it had been considered unlikely before U.N. weapons experts probing evidence from the August 21 attack, left Syria on Saturday.
    Turkey has said previously it would be ready to take part in any international action against Assad, even outside the auspices of the United Nations, and has put its armed forces on alert to guard against threats from Syria.
    Syria and its main ally Russia say rebels carried out the gas attack as a provocation.
    Moscow has repeatedly used its U.N. Security Council veto to block action against Syria and says any attack would be illegal and only inflame the civil war there.
    Syria's Foreign Ministry repeated its denial that the government had used chemical weapons against its own people.
    Washington says the Syrian denials are not credible, and the rebels would not have been able to launch such an attack.
    Turkey backs the use of force. The Arab League, whose members mainly oppose Assad, has said Syria is to blame for the chemical attack but so far stopped short of explicitly endorsing Western military strikes. Arab League foreign ministers are due to meet in Cairo on Sunday.
    Iran, Assad's main ally in the region, has condemned plans for strikes and warned of wider war.
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