'Stop aggression.' Assad
Photo: Reuters
Soldiers after border incident
Photo: Avihu Shapira
Assad vows to help Lebanon in face of 'criminal' Israeli aggression
Following fierce exchanges of fire along Israel-Lebanon border, Syrian president tells Lebanese counterpart Damascus 'will stand by its sister Lebanon,' calls for UN intervention
Following Tuesday's heavy exchanges of fire between Israeli and Lebanese forces, Syrian President Bashar Assad told his Lebanese counterpart Michel Suleiman that Syria stands by Lebanon and is willing to provide it with any necessary aid, al-Jazeera reported.
At least two Lebanese soldiers and a local journalist were killed in the border incident.
The official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) quoted Assad as saying that the "Israeli attack proves once again that Israel is constantly working to destabilize security in Lebanon and the region.
"Syria stresses that it is standing by its sister Lebanon in the face of the criminal Israeli aggression and calls on the UN to condemn and stop this aggression," the Syrian leader added.
Earlier, Suleiman vowed to "stand up to Israel's violation of Resolution 1701, whatever the sacrifices are."
Resolution 1701 brought an end to Israel's war with Hezbollah in the summer of 2006.
The Lebanese president denounced the "crossing of the 'blue line' (the internationally recognized border between Israel and Lebanon) by Israeli soldiers, the attack on property and the bombardment of the Lebanese army checkpoint in the Adaisseh area."
