BAALBEK, Lebanon: Syrian opposition fighters overnight seized control of a strategic hill overlooking the Qalamoun village of Flita near the border with Lebanon after a deadly gunbattle withHezbollah forces.
Sources following up on the battles told The Daily Star that opposition fighters entrenched in Syria’s Qalamoun unleashed late-Sunday a heavy artillery barrage to drive Hezbollah fighters from the al-Mesh hill overlooking Flita.
At dawn, the Syrian rebels stormed the hilltop position after engaging Hezbollah fighters in a clash with assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenades, according to the sources.
They said opposition fighters seized full control of the hilltop, killing several Hezbollah members, while others managed to flee to other Hezbollah positions.
The sources said the operation comes as part of efforts to unite warring opposition parties with the aim of wrestling full control of the Qalamoun region from Syrian army and Hezbollah forces.