Syrian town of Qusair falls to Hezbollah in breakthrough for Assad

Rebels confirm they have pulled out of strategic town after three-week siege by Lebanese militia

Martin Chulov in Beirut
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 5 June 2013

"....The majority Sunni town also stands incongruously between the Shia villages of northern Lebanon and along the border itself and Syria's Alawite heartland, which spreads from near Homs north-west to the Mediterranean cities of Latakia and Tartous.

Maintaining a contiguous link between the areas is believed to have been a military goal for regime officials in the event that the war leads to a breakdown of borders in the region and a need to consolidate a safe zone for the Alawite and Shia populations.

Buoyed by victory in Qusair, a broader role for Hezbollah is now thought to be on the agenda. Unconfirmed reports in recent days have suggested that the group will now be moved to Aleppo in similarly large numbers, where it will attempt to dislodge rebel groups who have controlled 60% of Syria's largest city for the past 10 months."