LEBANON: Angry Lebanese near border with Syria block highway to protest the kidnapping of two farmers

Record ID: 280905

  • Title: LEBANON: Angry Lebanese near border with Syria block highway to protest the kidnapping of two farmers
  • Date: 1st June 2012
  • Summary: AKKAR, LEBANON (MAY 31, 2012) (REUTERS) PROTESTERS ON CHAIRS IN MIDDLE OF ROAD VARIOUS OF TYRES BLOCKING THE ROAD/ TENT IN THE BACKGROUND MORE OF THE TYRES BLOCKING THE ROAD VARIOUS OF PEOPLE CARRYING GOODS AND WALKING THROUGH ROAD BLOCK QUEUE OF BLOCKED CARS BARRIER ACROSS ROAD
  • Embargoed: 16th June 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Lebanon
  • Country: Lebanon
  • Topics: Conflict,International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA1KDP7T1G3TGPJPAFQ3WXEAXD1
  • Story Text: Angry residents in northern Lebanon built a sand roadblock across a highway that crosses into Syria on Thursday (May 31), a day after unidentified gunmen kidnapped two Lebanese farmers in the country's north and took them across the border into Syria.
    A Lebanese security source said the farmers' relatives blocked other roads in the area to protest the kidnappings and urge the Lebanese government to help release them.
    Northern Lebanon has been used as a sanctuary for Syrian refugees fleeing a government crackdown on a popular revolt against President Bashar al-Assad that has left thousands dead over the past 14 months.
    Syrian forces, who have strong links with the Lebanese army and border guards, have at times crossed into Lebanon, shooting and arresting refugees and opposition rebels before retreating back across the poorly demarcated border, residents say.
    Mohammed Yassin Merei and Mahdi Hamdan, from the border town of Abboudiyyeh in Akkar province, were seized by five armed Syrians while they were gathering crops, Lebanon's National News Agency said on Wednesday.
    The Syria crisis has the potential to destabilise Lebanon, where some armed political factions feel they have an interest in Assad staying in power while others support the revolt, which started with peaceful protests in March 2011 but has grown increasingly violent.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: Footage contains identifiable children: users must ensure that they comply with local laws and regulations governing the publishing of this material.
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