- Title: Hezbollah and Nusra swap corpses in border ceasefire deal
- Date: 30th July 2017
- Summary: LABWE, LEBANON (JULY 30, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE GATHERED FOR ARRIVAL OF BODIES OF HEZBOLLAH FIGHTERS VARIOUS OF WOMEN HOLDING POSTERS SHOWING PHOTO OF KILLED HEZBOLLAH FIGHTER, HASSAN CHREIF VARIOUS OF CONVOY FOR HEZBOLLAH FIGHTERS DRIVING PAST GATHERING CROWD (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) UNIDENTIFIED SISTER OF KILLED HEZBOLLAH FIGHTER HASSAN CHREIF SAMAR CHREIF, SAYING: "It is an indescribable feeling, it has been two years and I haven't seen him. May God protect the youth. I hope he will be among them (referring to her brother's body), Inshallah." MAN WITH HEZBOLLAH FLAG STANDING IN FRONT OF OFFICIALS LEADING AMBULANCE CONVOY CARRYING BODIES OF HEZBOLLAH FIGHTERS (AUDIO OF GUNFIRE) AMBULANCE CONVOY DRIVING AMBULANCE CONVOY DRIVING (AUDIO OF GUNFIRE) (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) UNIDENTIFIED MOTHER OF LEBANESE SOLDIER CAPTURED BY ISLAMIC STATE MOSTAPHA WEHBE, SAYING: "We are waiting. Thank God for Hezbollah and the (Lebanese) army. We are counting on God and we thank God if he returns alive or dead." VARIOUS OF CONVOY DRIVING (AUDIO OF GUNFIRE) MEN CHEERING AS THEY WALK IN FRONT OF AMBULANCE (AUDIO OF GUNFIRE) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE GATHERING AND CHEERING AS VEHICLES DRIVE BY VARIOUS OF HEZBOLLAH VEHICLES DRIVING FIGHTERS AMONG CROWD PASSING BY (AUDIO OF GUNFIRE)
- Embargoed: 13th August 2017 18:51
- Keywords: Lebanon Syria Hezbollah Juroud Arsal Syrian-Lebanese border Nusra Front corpse exchange deal ceasefire Nusra
- Location: LABWE, LEBANON
- City: LABWE, LEBANON
- Country: Lebanon
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA0016RWRZGN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The first step in a ceasefire between Hezbollah and the Nusra Front took place on Sunday (July 30) as the two sides exchanged the bodies of fighters killed in clashes between them.
The local ceasefire came into effect on Thursday (July 27) and will involve the departure of all Nusra militants from the area around Arsal along with any of the civilians living in the area's refugee camps who wish to leave with them. Five Hezbollah prisoners held by Nusra will be released as part of the agreement.
Nusra and Islamic State have been present in the mountains near Arsal in northern Lebanon for years, the most serious spill-over of Syria's civil war into its neighbour.
Shi'ite Hezbollah retook most of the area held by Nusra during an offensive last week that killed nearly 150 of the Sunni militants and about two dozen Hezbollah fighters. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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