Akkar villages shelled hours after Syrian ‘apology’

Syrian shells hit northern Lebanon on Saturday night hours after the Lebanese presidential palace announced that Syrian officials had vowed to hold accountable those responsible for cross-border shelling. A Baabda palace statement said: “Syrian officials vowed through contacts made with them to hold accountable those who shelled (the northern district of Akkar on Thursday night) and apologized for the mistake that happened without the knowledge of (Syrian) authorities.” The statement also said that the officials vowed to prevent such incidents from reoccurring. A police officer was injured and several houses were damaged on Thursday night when around 30 shells landed on the Akkar towns and villages of Munjez, Kherbet al-Rumman, Aamar al-Baykat, al-Dbabiyeh and al-Noura. However, the statement issued by Baabda palace on Saturday was followed several hours later by new shelling on the Akkar border towns of Munjez, al-Noura and al-Kwaishra. The late night shelling caused a huge migration by the people residing in the towns to safer areas.