By Rakan al-Fakih
AL-QAA, Lebanon: The border crossing
in the town of Masharih Al-Qaa in the northern Bekaa was calm Monday, as the
flow of people, as well as the sounds of shelling and gunfire, ceased.
But dozens of Syrian families who
fled their villages into Lebanon over the weekend, many with only the clothes
they were wearing, are now facing harsh conditions.
The families said they fled their
homes after their villages were shelled by tanks and artillery during clashes
between units of the Syrian army and defectors, made up of 300 soldiers, three
officers and several tanks.
Residents of the Syrian villages
were woken at 6 a.m. Sunday to the sounds of shelling and gunfire, and had to
leave their homes without taking any clothes or basic provisions with them,
they said.
After crossing the border, the
Lebanese Army surrounded them, detaining a few dozen young men. All were later
released except for seven: five Syrian army defectors, a teacher, and another
man. The displaced Syrians added that the soldiers had thrown away their
weapons before entering Lebanese territory because they did not want to fight
anyone.
Abu Ahmad, 50, who fled the village
of Zrarieh, which is located around 2 kilometers from the border, said that he
is currently sharing one room with 20 other Syrians. There is only one blanket
for every two people and they have neither medicine nor baby formula.
“We left our homes unlocked and
didn’t even bring any clothes with us because we were terrified that the Syrian
army units would not hesitate to kill us for any reason,” Abu Ahmad said.
A man from the Amer family said: “We
only want to live in peace in our villages and neighborhoods and we don’t want
to confront the regime’s forces because we are only civilians.”
A resident of Masharih al-Qaa – who
preferred not to give his name for fear that his home could be raided by the
Lebanese Army – said that he was sheltering five Syrian families at his own
expense.
The resident expressed anger at the
Syrian army, especially for their treatment of the families.
“How can the Syrian army, whose role
is to protect the people, fire at women and children as they are fleeing in
fear?” the resident asked.
He expressed his anger that the
Syrian army was “arresting women and children and asking for their IDs while
they’re barefoot.”
According to the resident, most of
the displaced Syrian families are staying in the Bekaa and in north Lebanon,
although a small number had returned to Syria to check on their homes.
Four wounded Syrian refugees were transferred to
hospitals in north Lebanon by Red Cross teams Monday evening, the National News
Agency reported. According to the agency, the refugees had entered Lebanon
through the border town of Masharih al-Qaa.http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Local-News/2012/Mar-06/165661-syrian-refugees-tell-of-fleeing-home-without-basic-provisions.ashx#axzz1oM3eP0Kk
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