No Hezbollah members captured in Syria, Lebanese resistance movement says

The Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah has dismissed reports that some of its members have been captured by foreign-backed militants in the governorate of Damascus.
Hezbollah issued a statement on Saturday, saying that “not a single combatant” from the resistance movement had been taken prisoner in Syria.

“Hezbollah sternly warns against lies orchestrated by hostile Arab and foreign media and urges accuracy in disseminating news relevant to our party,” the communiqué said.

The statement came in response to media reports claiming that militants of the so-called Free Syrian Army had captured a number of Hezbollah and Abu al-Fadl al-Abbas Brigade members in fierce clashes in the governorate of Damascus.

The Abu al-Fadl al-Abbas Brigade, which was established in 2012 to protect the holy shrine of Hazrat Zeinab (AS) in Damascus, is fighting against the militants alongside Syrian government troops.

In late May, Hezbollah Secretary General Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah said that members of the Lebanese resistance movement were battling the anti-government militants alongside Syrian government forces in the strategic border town of al-Qusayr — an important center and supply route for the foreign-sponsored militants.

Earlier this week, the Syrian army recaptured al-Qusayr after three weeks of fighting.

The Syria crisis began in March 2011, and many people, including large numbers of government forces, have been killed.

Damascus says the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and there are reports that a very large number of the militants are foreign nationals.

The Syrian government says the West and its regional allies, such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, are supporting the militants.

In addition, several international human rights organizations say the militants operating in Syria have committed war crimes.