Special to WorldTribune.com

NICOSIA — The Iranian-sponsored Hizbullah was said to have sustained
heavy casualties in the Sunni revolt in Syria.

A Lebanese newspaper said Hizbullah units were strained by heavy losses
during battles with Sunni rebels around Damascus. Al Mustaqbal said more
than 250 Hizbullah troops were killed over the last few days in the
offensive by the regime of President Bashar Assad against rebel strongholds
south of the Syrian capital.
“In recent fighting in East Ghouta [south of Damascus], Hizbullah lost
more than 250 fighters and saw dozens of troops captured,” the newspaper
quoted the Union of the Coordinated Revolt as saying.
The union, said to be linked to the Free Syrian Army, reported that both
Hizbullah and its new Iranian proxy, Abu Al Fadel Al Abbas Brigades,
sustained heavy losses in November 2013. The rebel coalition said the regime
of President Bashar Assad was under pressure from an FSA offensive.
“The elements of Hizbullah along with Iranian and other foreign forces
have been battling FSA,” the union said.
Opposition sources said at least 600 people were killed over the last 10
days in heavy fighting in East Ghouta. They said the rebels, including Al
Qaida’s Islamic State of Iraq and Levant as well as the Nusra Front for the
Defense of the Levant, were engaged in a counter-offensive that targeted
Syrian Army and Hizbullah checkpoints and facilities. On Nov. 28, the
Russian embassy in Damascus was shelled and at least one person was killed.
Hizbullah, said to have deployed more than 3,000 troops, has not
confirmed the losses while the Assad regime was reporting gains throughout
Damascus. Hizbullah has vowed to continue fighting for Assad.
“We protected Lebanon and the resistance from a very dangerous situation
by fulfilling our honorable jihad duty at the right time, so we would get to
them before they get to us,” Hizbullah deputy secretary-general Naim Kassem
said.

  Hizbullah sustains heavy casualties near Damascus battling Syrian rebels