Special to WorldTribune.com

NICOSIA — Syrian rebels have claimed the assassination of
Hizbullah’s deputy chief.

The Free Syrian Army said it bombed a convoy in southwestern Syria that
included Hizbullah deputy secretary-general Naim Kassem. In a statement on
Feb. 27, FSA said the convoy also contained cars with senior Syrian Army
officers.

“It has been confirmed that Hizbullah’s No. 2 man died from a
serious injury,” FSA said.

On Feb. 28, however, Kassem issued a statement meant to demonstrate that he was not injured in the purported attack. Kassem said Hizbullah had reassured the Christian minority that the Shi’ites do not plan to dominate Lebanon.

“We reassure them more than any other side in Lebanon because we are
honest in our dealings,” Kassem said.

Hizbullah has been battling a spate of reports of the decline of its
leadership. Earlier, Hizbullah and Lebanese sources said secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah was flown to Iran for treatment of cancer.

Sunni rebels said Hizbullah has expanded its role in the war by Syrian
President Bashar Assad. They said more than 10,000 Hizbullah fighters and
advisers were in Syria, with many of them participating in Syrian Army and
Shabiha attacks on rebel strongholds in the center of the country.

FSA said Hizbullah has captured eight villages in Syria near the border
with Lebanon. The rebels said Hizbullah intended to expel Sunnis from the
border region.

“We will take back these villages at any cost,” FSA spokesman Fahd Al
Masri said on Feb. 28.

  Bashar Assad, Fahd Al Masri, Free Syrian Army claims to have killed Hizbullah’s second in command, Hassan Nasrallah, Naim Kassem, Shabiha militia