Hezbollah joins the war in Syria

Lebanon's Hezbollah has hurled itself into the war in Syria at the behest of its mentor Iran at the risk of damaging its reputation in the Arab world, experts say. The powerful Shiite movement has won widespread support outside Lebanon for standing up to Israel on the battlefield.

But its involvement in Syria fighting alongside President Bashar al-Assad's troops against rebels has tarnished its reputation in the region, analysts told AFP. "Hezbollah's participation in the war in Syria stems from an Iranian decision to support the regime until the end through regional actors, starting with Hezbollah," said Ziad Majed, professor in political sciences and the Middle East at the American University of Paris.

Hezbollah sent almost 1,700 fighters to the central Syrian town of Qusayr a week ago to support the regime's assault on the rebel stronghold. Its chief Hassan Nasrallah had previously justified the organisation's involvement in Syria by saying they were defending Shiite villages and holy sites. But the offensive on the mostly-Sunni town of Qusayr forced the movement to change its argument.

"Syria is the rear guard of the resistance (Hezbollah's fight with Israel), its backbone, and the resistance cannot stay with its arms folded when its rear guard is exposed," Nasrallah said on Saturday in a speech for the 13th anniversary of Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon. Read more >>

Russia stands by Syria President Bashar Assad

Russia said Sunday that it has no intention of pushing for the ouster of President Bashar Assad, as international negotiators seeking a way out of the escalating Syrian crisis again failed to reach a breakthrough.

Meantime, Syria's turmoil continued to spill over its borders, as four more people were killed in the latest spasm of Syria-related violence in the tense northern Lebanese city of Tripoli.

And in Syria, another day of fierce clashes and government bombardment was reported in the suburbs of Damascus as government troops battled rebels intent on cutting off the capital and its international airport.

Violence in Syria has long been outpacing efforts to reach a diplomatic solution. International mediators have stepped up attempts to broker a peace deal in recent days as clashes have intensified and fears have risen about the government's potential use of chemical weapons on its citizens. Read more >>