Syria said Thursday its forces dismantled a cell affiliated with Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah group, a key ally of ousted president Bashar al-Assad, which denied the allegations.
“Specialised units in cooperation with the general intelligence service… were able to arrest a terrorist cell belonging to the Hezbollah militia that was active” in the Damascus countryside, an interior ministry statement said, quoting a local commander.
“Preliminary investigations showed that the cell members underwent training in military camps in Lebanese territory, and were planning to carry out operations inside Syrian territory that threaten national security and stability,” the statement said.
Forces seized ammunition and weapons including Grad-type rockets, launchers and anti-tank missiles, it said, adding the case was referred to the judiciary.
Hezbollah strongly denied those arrested were affiliated with the group.
“Hezbollah does not have any presence nor carries out any activity on Syrian territory,” it said in a statement, adding it was committed to “Syria’s stability and the security of its people”.
Hezbollah fighters helped Assad claw back territory during Syria’s civil war, which erupted in 2011 after the repression of anti-government protests.
The Iran-backed group openly backed Assad from 2013 until his ouster last December by an Islamist-led alliance.
Heavily weakened in a recent war with Israel, Hezbollah lost a key supply route from backer Iran through Syria after the new authorities took power.
In March, Lebanon and Syria signed an agreement to address border security threats after clashes left 10 dead.
This week, the office of Lebanese Justice Minister Adel Nassar said two specialised committees had held their first meeting in Damascus to discuss security and judicial matters.
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© Agence France-Presse
